Small item dispenser

Abstract

A dispenser for dispensing small items such as pieces of candy is disclosed herein. The dispenser includes a base and a cover rotatably coupled to the base, the base and the cover defining a main cavity thereinbetween. The dispenser includes a pocket within the base that can be separated from the main cavity by rotatable movement of the cover. The cover includes a divider for at least substantially blocking off the pocket from the main cavity when the cover moves from a closed position to an open position such that small items cannot enter the pocket. When the cover is in the closed position, a small item can enter the pocket but cannot be accessed from outside the small item dispenser, and, when the cover is in the open position, the pocket can be accessed from outside the small item dispenser without small items being able to enter the pocket from the main cavity.

1 . A small item dispenser comprising:
 a base;   a cover rotatably coupled to the base to define a main cavity thereinbetween for holding small items, the cover rotatable with respect to the base between a closed position and an open position; and   a pocket within the base that can be separated from the main cavity, the pocket sized to receive and hold at least one small item;   wherein the cover includes a divider for at least substantially blocking off the pocket from the main cavity when the cover moves from the closed position to the open position such that small items cannot enter the pocket, and, wherein, when the cover is in the closed position, the at least one small item can enter the pocket but cannot be accessed from outside the small item dispenser, and, wherein, when the cover is in the open position, the pocket can be accessed from outside the small item dispenser without small items being able to enter the pocket from the main cavity.   
   
   
       2 . A small item dispenser according to  claim 1 , further comprising a first stop configured to stop the cover from rotating past the closed position and a second stop configured to stop the cover from rotating past the open position with respect to the base. 
   
   
       3 . A small item dispenser comprising according to  claim 1 , wherein the base includes a first upwardly extending wall and a second upwardly extending wall, the first wall and the second wall defining the pocket thereinbetween and the cover including a first downwardly extending wall oriented generally perpendicularly to the first and second walls of the base to at least substantially block off the pocket from the rest of the cavity when the cover moves from the closed position to the open position such that a small item cannot enter the pocket. 
   
   
       4 . A small item dispenser according to  claim 3 , further comprising a first stop configured to stop the cover from rotating past the closed position and a second stop configured to stop the cover from rotating past the open position with respect to the base, wherein the first stop is configured to make contact with the first wall of the base when the cover is in the closed position and the second stop is configured to make contact with the first wall of the base when the cover is in the open position. 
   
   
       5 . A small item dispense according to  claim 4 , wherein the first stop includes a tab extending away from the first downwardly extending wall of the cover generally toward the first wall of the base such that the tab contacts the first wall of the base when the cover is in the closed position and wherein the second stop includes a second downwardly extending wall of the cover that extends away from the first downwardly extending wall of the cover generally toward the first wall of the base such that the second stop contacts the first wall of the base when the cover is in the open position. 
   
   
       6 . A small item dispenser according to  claim 3 , wherein the second stop is configured to make contact with the first wall of the base when the cover is in the open position and the first stop is configured to make contact with the second stop when the cover is in the closed position. 
   
   
       7 . A small item dispenser according to  claim 6 , wherein the second stop includes a second downwardly extending wall of the cover that extends generally away from the first downwardly extending wall of the cover toward the first wall of the base such that the second stop makes contact with the first wall of the base when the cover is in the open position and wherein the first stop includes a third upwardly extending wall of the base configured to make contact with the second stop when the cover is in the closed position. 
   
   
       8 . A small item dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the cover and the base include a generally round configuration. 
   
   
       9 . A small item dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the pocket is generally trapezoidal. 
   
   
       10 . A small item dispenser according to  claim 3 , wherein the second wall of the base includes a rounded portion to assist small items in entering the pocket. 
   
   
       11 . A small item dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the cover is turned in a clockwise direction with respect to the base to bring the cover from the closed position to the open position. 
   
   
       12 . A small item dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the cover includes a dispensing opening configured to communicate with the pocket when the cover is in the open position. 
   
   
       13 . A small item dispenser according to  claim 5 , wherein the first and the second stops are integrally formed with the first downwardly extending wall of the cover. 
   
   
       14 . A small item dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the cover is removably coupled to the base to allow loading of small items into the main cavity defined between the cover and the base. 
   
   
       15 . A small item dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the pocket is sized to receive and hold at most one small item. 
   
   
       16 . A small item dispenser comprising:
 a first portion and a second portion rotatably disposed with respect to the first portion, the second portion rotatable between a closed position and an open position, the first portion including a first major side and the second portion including a second major side;   a main cavity for holding small items positioned between the first and second major sides; and   a pocket separable from the main cavity by rotatable movement of the second portion with respect to the first portion from a closed position to an open position, wherein the pocket communicates with the main cavity for receiving at least one small item when the second portion is in the closed position and wherein the pocket is not accessible from an outside of the small item dispenser when the second portion is in the closed position;   wherein, when the second portion is moved from the closed position to the open position, the pocket becomes substantially blocked off from the main cavity and the pocket becomes accessible from the outside of the small item dispenser.   
   
   
       17 . A small item dispenser according to  claim 16 , wherein the first portion and the second portion include a generally round configuration. 
   
   
       18 . A small item dispenser according to  claim 16 , wherein the second portion includes an access opening configured to communicate with the pocket when the second portion is moved to the open position. 
   
   
       19 . A small item dispenser according to  claim 16 , wherein the second portion is rotated in a clockwise direction with respect to the first portion to bring the second portion from the closed position to the open position. 
   
   
       20 . A small item dispenser according to  claim 16 , further comprising a first stop configured to stop the second portion from rotating past the closed position and a second stop configured to stop the second portion from rotating past the open position with respect to the base. 
   
   
       21 . A small item dispenser according to  claim 16 , wherein the second portion is separable from the first portion for loading small items into the main cavity. 
   
   
       22 . A small item dispenser according to  claim 16 , wherein the pocket is sized to receive and hold at most one small item.