Sprung Display Case for Dispensing Products

Abstract

A sprung display case for dispensing products, particularly heavy products such as beverage multipacks. The case comprises a vertical chamber that is open at an upper end (and is sized and shaped such that a plurality of the products can be vertically stacked within the chamber; a horizontal platform that is mounted to be vertically slidable within the chamber, the platform having at least one air hole formed therethrough; a single resiliently compressible member mounted in the chamber between a lower side of the platform and an upper side of a base of the chamber to bias the platform towards the upper end of the chamber; and a tether fixed at a first end to the platform and at a second end to the base of the chamber to prevent the platform moving out of the upper end of the chamber.

1 . A sprung display case for dispensing individual stacked products, the case comprising:
 a vertical chamber sized and shaped such that a plurality of the products can be vertically stacked within the chamber, wherein the vertical chamber is open at an upper end to define an upper opening through which the products exit the vertical chamber, wherein the upper opening is congruent with the size and shape of a horizontal cross-section of the vertical chamber, and wherein the upper opening is unobstructed;   a lower base sized and shaped to support the plurality of the individual products vertically stacked within the vertical chamber;   a horizontal platform mounted to be vertically slidable within the chamber; and   a resiliently compressible member mounted in the chamber between a lower side of the platform and an upper side of the base of the chamber to bias the platform towards the upper end of the chamber,   
       wherein the strength of the resiliently compressible member is selected such that the uppermost product stacked on an upper side of the platform is positioned at or about the upper end of the chamber based on the weight of the product. 
     
     
         2 . The case according to  claim 1 , wherein the chamber is substantially cuboid. 
     
     
         3 . The case according to  claim 1 , wherein the platform is formed of a sheet material. 
     
     
         4 . The case according to  claim 3 , wherein the platform is formed of sheet metal. 
     
     
         5 . The case according to  claim 1 , wherein the platform has a plurality of air holes formed therethrough. 
     
     
         6 . The case according to  claim 1 , wherein the resiliently compressible member is a coil spring. 
     
     
         7 . The case according to  claim 6 , wherein the spring is formed of steel wire having a diameter of at least 8 mm. 
     
     
         8 . The case according to  claim 1 , wherein the chamber is sized and shaped to house beverage multipacks.