Blade dispenser

Abstract

A blade dispenser is provided to safely and easily dispense razor blades. Embodiments include a dispenser having a housing for accommodating a stack of blades; and a push button slidably mounted at a first end of the housing. The push button has a blade catch for engaging a button-engaging portion of a blade of the blade stack when the push button moves from a depressed position to a released position, to move the blade to an extended position partially outside the housing. A first spring engages the housing and the push button to bias the push button in the released position, and a blade pusher engages an end blade of the blade stack. A second spring is provided for engaging the housing and the blade pusher to bias the blade pusher and the blade stack towards the blade catch of the push button, such that when the push button moves from the depressed position to the released position, the blade catch engages the button-engaging portion of the first end blade of the blade stack to move the first end blade to the extended position.

1 . A dispenser for dispensing a plurality of blades, the dispenser comprising:
 a housing for accommodating the blades in a stacked fashion;   a push button slidably mounted at a first end of the housing such that the push button is movable from a released position to a depressed position and back to the released position, the push button having a blade catch for engaging a button-engaging portion of a first end blade of the blade stack when the push button moves from the depressed position to the released position, to move the first end blade to an extended position partially outside the housing;   a first spring for engaging the housing and the push button to bias the push button in the released position;   a blade pusher for engaging a second end blade of the blade stack opposite the first end blade of the blade stack; and   a second spring for engaging the housing and the blade pusher to bias the blade pusher and the blade stack towards the blade catch of the push button along a longitudinal axis of the housing, such that when the push button moves from the depressed position to the released position, the blade catch engages the button-engaging portion of the first end blade of the blade stack to move the first end blade to the extended position.   
     
     
         2 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the second spring is disposed in the first end of the housing, the dispenser further comprising a string connecting the blade pusher and the second spring. 
     
     
         3 . The dispenser of  claim 2 , wherein the second spring comprises a torsion spring; the dispenser further comprising a retracting wheel to which the second spring and the string are attached to urge the string to wind around the retracting wheel to bias the blade pusher. 
     
     
         4 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a pair of opposing blade tracks for engaging corresponding opposing grooves in each of the blades to prevent a sharp edge of each of the blades from contacting the housing. 
     
     
         5 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the blades are standard single-edge safety razor blades having a protective piece wrapped around an edge of the blade opposite a sharp edge, and the protective piece is the button-engaging portion. 
     
     
         6 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the push button is slidable in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the housing along which the blade pusher is biased. 
     
     
         7 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , further comprising a storage compartment for storing used blades between a second end of the housing opposite the first end, and the blade pusher. 
     
     
         8 . The dispenser of  claim 7 , further comprising a cover for the housing over the blade stack, the housing including a slot proximal the second end of the housing for inserting the used blades into the storage compartment. 
     
     
         9 . A dispenser for dispensing a plurality of blades, the dispenser comprising:
 a housing for accommodating the blades in a stacked fashion;   a push button slidably mounted at a first end of the housing such that the push button is movable from a released position to a depressed position and back to the released position, the push button having a blade catch for engaging a button-engaging portion of a first end blade of the blade stack when the push button moves from the depressed position to the released position, to move the first end blade to an extended position partially outside the housing;   a spring for engaging the housing and the push button to bias the push button in the released position;   a blade pusher for engaging a second end blade of the blade stack opposite the first end blade of the blade stack;   a ratchet proximal the first end of the housing, operatively connected to the push button to advance the ratchet when the push button moves from the released position to the depressed position; and   a belt attached to the blade pusher and engageable with the ratchet to draw the blade pusher and the blade stack towards the blade catch of the push button along a longitudinal axis of the housing when the push button moves from the released position to the depressed position, such that when the push button moves from the depressed position to the released position, the blade catch engages the button-engaging portion of the first end blade of the blade stack to move the first end blade to the extended position.   
     
     
         10 . The dispenser of  claim 9 , wherein the belt comprises apertures to engage the ratchet. 
     
     
         11 . The dispenser of  claim 9 , wherein the housing comprises a pair of opposing blade tracks for engaging corresponding opposing grooves in each of the blades to prevent a sharp edge of each of the blades from contacting the housing. 
     
     
         12 . The dispenser of  claim 11 , wherein the blade pusher rides on the blade tracks. 
     
     
         13 . The dispenser of  claim 9 , wherein the blades are standard single-edge safety razor blades having a protective piece wrapped around an edge of the blade opposite a sharp edge, and the protective piece is the button-engaging portion. 
     
     
         14 . The dispenser of  claim 9 , wherein the push button is slidable in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the housing along which Me blade pusher is biased. 
     
     
         15 . The dispenser of  claim 9 , further comprising a storage compartment for storing used blades between a second end of the housing opposite the first end, and the blade pusher. 
     
     
         16 . The dispenser of  claim 15 , further comprising a cover for the housing over the blade stack, the housing including a slot proximal the second end of the housing for inserting the used blades into the storage compartment.