Product dispensing system and methods

Abstract

A dispensing unit for personal care products and personal protective equipment includes one or more dispensing assemblies contained within a single housing. The dispensing unit may contain dispensing assemblies that independently dispense two different types of products. Each dispensing assembly includes an actuator that mechanically injects a time delay between dispensings. Products are bundled together with support structures that are removed when the bundles are placed into a dispensing assembly.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method of stocking a product dispenser, the method comprising the steps of:
 obtaining a plurality of products held together by a support structure;   accessing a dispensing assembly associated with a product dispenser, the dispensing assembly having a receptacle for receiving the plurality of products;   placing the plurality of products into the receptacle of the dispensing assembly; and   removing the support structure from the plurality of products.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the removing the support structure step occurs after the plurality of products have been placed into the receptacle of the dispensing assembly; and   the method further comprises the step of removing the support structure from the dispensing assembly.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the removing the support structure step occurs before the plurality of products have been placed into the receptacle of the dispensing assembly.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the support structure comprises a strap. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the strap comprises a rectangular piece of paper having a first end and second end held together. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the first end and the second end of the strap are held together with at least one of an adhesive, a crimp, and a seam. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the products comprises a personal care product. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the product dispenser comprises a rear case and a front cover;   the rear case and the front cover are connected by a hinge assembly;   the hinge assembly comprises:
 a first component comprising a leaf and a knuckle, wherein the leaf is attached to the front cover; 
 a second component comprising a leaf and a knuckle, wherein the leaf is attached to the rear case; 
 a removeable pin connecting the knuckles of the first and second components, wherein removing the pin enables the front cover to be detached from the rear case; and 
   the accessing a dispensing assembly step comprises detaching the front cover from the rear case.   
     
     
         9 . A method of stocking a product dispenser, the method comprising the steps of:
 obtaining an assembly of products, the assembly comprising a plurality of products held together by a support structure;   accessing a dispensing assembly associated with a product dispenser, the dispensing assembly having a receptacle for receiving an assembly of products, the receptacle comprising a chute having a front access region defined at least in part by two walls on opposite sides of the front access region;   placing the assembly of products into the receptacle of the dispensing assembly through the chute; and   removing the support structure from the assembly of products by accessing the support structure through the front access region and pulling the support structure through the front access region.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the assembly of products comprises a plurality of menstrual pads in a stacked arrangement; and   the step of removing the support structure from the assembly of products comprises pulling the support structure while maintaining the stacked arrangement of the menstrual pads in the receptacle.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the assembly of products comprises a plurality of tampons arranged parallel to one another;   the step of removing the support structure from the assembly of products comprises pulling the support structure while maintaining the parallel arrangement of the tampons in the receptacle.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the front access region defines a width;   the support structure comprises a strap that defines a width; and   the width of the strap is less than the width of the front access region.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the dispensing assembly comprises a front cover;   the front cover comprises a window that provides an outside-in view of the front access region of the chute; and   the method further comprises looking through the window to determine if the chute is low in stock.   
     
     
         14 . A method of stocking a product dispenser with personal care products, the method comprising the steps of:
 obtaining an assembly of personal care products, the assembly comprising a plurality of personal care products held together by a support structure, wherein each personal care product is individually contained within a packaging;   accessing a dispensing assembly associated with a product dispenser, the dispensing assembly comprising a receptacle for receiving the assembly of personal care products and a dispensing mechanism for individually dispensing the personal care products;   placing the assembly of personal care products into the receptacle of the dispensing assembly; and   removing the support structure from the assembly of products.   
     
     
         15 . The method  claim 14 , wherein:
 the packaging for the personal care products are envelopes that each comprise:
 a face panel having a rectangular perimeter defined by a top edge, a bottom edge, and two side edges; 
 a bottom panel integrally connected to said face panel along said bottom edge, said bottom panel being folded over said face panel along a first fold line located along said bottom edge; 
 a pair of opposed side flaps integrally connected to said face panel along said side edges, said pair of opposed side flaps being folded over said bottom panel along second and third fold lines located along said side edges; 
 a top flap integrally connected to said face panel along said top edge, said top flap folded over said face panel along a fourth fold line located along said top edge, said top flap covering at least a portion of said bottom panel; and 
   the envelopes are configured to permit access to the personal care products when the top flaps of the envelopes are opened.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the envelopes comprise a paper or cardboard material composition. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the envelopes comprise a pressure sensitive adhesive for securing the top flaps to the bottom panels; and   the pressure sensitive adhesive is configured to permit resealing of the top flaps to the bottom panels after an initial opening of the envelopes.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the personal care products are menstrual pads. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the dispensing assembly further comprises a pad dispensing mechanism that comprises a conveyor located beneath the receptacle, the conveyor comprising an upwards-facing receiving surface for receiving a pad from the receptacle;   the conveyor is configured to urge a pad that was received on the upwards-facing surface underneath and away from the receptacle, thereby dispensing it;   a clearance between the receptacle and the upwards-facing receiving surface of the conveyor is small enough that only pads having a thickness of 12 millimeters or less may be dispensed;   the plurality of personal care products comprises a plurality of pads having a thickness of 12 millimeters or less; and   the method further comprises loading a pad of the plurality of pads onto the upwards-facing receiving surface of the conveyor.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the dispensing assembly further comprises a tampon dispensing mechanism that is configured to receive and dispense tampons from the receptacle, the tampon dispensing mechanism comprising:
 a cylindrical roller that comprises an outer surface; 
 an axial groove defined in the outer surface that extends longitudinally across the roller, the axial groove having a groove width and groove depth; 
   the plurality of personal care products comprises a plurality of tampons that are cylindrical in shape, with each tampon having a diameter that is smaller than the groove width and the groove depth of the axial groove to the extent that:
 the tampons fit in the axial groove in a clearance fit; 
 only one tampon fits in the axial groove at a time; 
   the method further comprises loading a tampon of the plurality of tampons into the axial groove of the roller.