Product dispensers

Abstract

There is provided herein a dispenser formed of card-based or paper-based material for a product in stick form. The dispenser includes a product stick carrier, an outer sleeve, a product concealing sleeve, a first proximal facing edge, a second proximal facing edge, a first distal facing edge, and a second distal facing edge. The product stick carrier is in the form of a cylindrical tube and includes a product stick support for supporting a product stick in use. The outer sleeve is in the form of a cylindrical tube disposed radially outwardly of the product stick carrier. The product stick carrier is fixed relative to the outer sleeve. The product concealing sleeve is in the form of a cylindrical tube disposed radially inwardly of the outer sleeve and radially outwardly of the product stick carrier. The product concealing sleeve is retractable from a first, fully extended axial position relative to the outer sleeve and product stick carrier for concealing a product stick supported by the product stick support in use in order to expose the product stick. The first and second proximal facing edges and the first and second distal facing edges are disposed radially outwardly of the product stick carrier and radially inwardly of the product concealing sleeve. The first proximal facing edge is fixed with respect to the first distal facing edge and the product stick carrier. The second proximal facing edge is fixed with respect to the second distal facing edge and the product concealing sleeve. The first proximal facing edge and the second distal facing edge cooperate with one another to prevent advancement of the product concealing sleeve relative to the outer sleeve and product stick carrier beyond a set point so as to define the first, fully extended position. The first distal facing edge and the second proximal facing edge cooperate with one another to selectively prevent or allow retraction of the product concealing sleeve from the first, fully extended position, wherein the selection of preventing or allowing retraction is determined by a rotational position of the product concealing sleeve with respect to the product stick carrier.

1 . A dispenser formed of card-based or paper-based material for a product in stick form, the dispenser comprising:
 a proximal end;   a distal end;   a product stick carrier in the form of a cylindrical tube for supporting a product stick in use;   an outer sleeve in the form of a cylindrical tube disposed radially outwardly of the product stick carrier, wherein the product stick carrier is fixed relative to the outer sleeve;   a product concealing sleeve in the form of a cylindrical tube disposed radially inwardly of the outer sleeve and radially outwardly of the product stick carrier, the product concealing sleeve being retractable from a first, fully extended axial position relative to the outer sleeve and product stick carrier for concealing a product stick supported by the product stick carrier in use in order to expose the product stick for use; and   a locking arrangement, wherein the locking arrangement comprises:   a first proximal facing edge;   a second proximal facing edge;   a first distal facing edge; and   a second distal facing edge;   wherein the first and second proximal facing edges and the first and second distal facing edges are disposed radially outwardly of the product stick carrier and radially inwardly of the product concealing sleeve;   wherein the first proximal facing edge and the first distal facing edge are associated with the exterior of the product stick carrier;   wherein the second proximal facing edge and the second distal facing edge are associated with the interior of the product concealing sleeve;   wherein the first proximal facing edge and the second distal facing edge cooperate with one another to prevent advancement of the product concealing sleeve relative to the outer sleeve and product stick carrier beyond a set point so as to define the first, fully extended position of the product concealing sleeve,   wherein a circumferential gap is defined adjacent an end of the first distal facing edge, such that in at least one rotational position of the product concealing sleeve relative to the product stick carrier, the second proximal facing edge is movable in a proximal direction axially past the first distal facing edge through the circumferential gap without engagement of the first distal facing edge with the second proximal facing edge to permit retraction of the product concealing sleeve from an extended, concealing position, and in at least one other rotational position of the product concealing sleeve relative to the product stick carrier, at least a portion of the first distal facing edge and at least a portion of the second proximal facing edge engage one another to prevent retraction of the product concealing sleeve from the extended, concealing position.   
     
     
         2 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , comprising a cap sized to fit snugly over the product concealing sleeve when the product concealing sleeve is in the first, fully extended concealing position. 
     
     
         3 . The dispenser of  claim 1 or 2 , wherein the locking arrangement comprises:
 a product stick carrier collar piece affixed to the exterior of the product stick carrier at a distal end of the product stick carrier, a proximal end edge of the product stick carrier collar piece providing the first proximal facing edge; and   a product concealing sleeve collar piece affixed to the interior of the product concealing sleeve at a proximal end of the product concealing sleeve, a distal end edge of the product concealing sleeve collar piece providing the second distal facing edge.   
     
     
         4 . The dispenser of  claim 3 , wherein the locking arrangement further comprises a secondary product stick carrier collar piece affixed to the exterior of the product stick carrier and axially spaced from and proximal to the product stick carrier collar piece to enable the product concealing sleeve collar piece to be located between the proximal edge of the product stick carrier collar piece and the distal edge of the secondary product stick carrier collar piece when the product concealing sleeve is in the extended, concealing position,
 wherein a distal end edge of the secondary product stick carrier collar piece provides the first distal facing edge,   wherein the circumferential gap is provided between circumferential end edges of the first distal facing edge and extends between circumferential end edges of the secondary product stick carrier collar piece, and   wherein the proximal end edge of the product concealing sleeve collar piece provides the second proximal facing edge.   
     
     
         5 . The dispenser of  claim 4 , wherein the secondary product stick carrier collar piece is axially spaced from the product stick carrier collar piece by a first distance D C  greater than an axial width W C  of the product concealing sleeve collar piece. 
     
     
         6 . The dispenser of  claim 4 or 5 , wherein the sum of the circumferential lengths of the secondary product stick carrier collar piece and the product stick carrier collar piece is less than the outer circumference of the product stick carrier. 
     
     
         7 . The dispenser of any of  claims 4 to 6 , wherein the product stick carrier collar piece is flush with a distal end edge of the product stick carrier. 
     
     
         8 . The dispenser of any of  claims 4 to 7 , wherein the difference between the outer circumference of the product stick carrier and the circumferential length of the product stick carrier collar piece is less than the circumferential length of the product concealing sleeve collar piece. 
     
     
         9 . The dispenser of  claim 1 or 2 , wherein the first distal facing edge is helical and the second proximal facing edge is helical. 
     
     
         10 . The dispenser of  claim 1, 2 or 9 , wherein the locking arrangement comprises:
 a product stick carrier collar piece affixed to the exterior of the product stick carrier at a distal end of the product stick carrier;   a product concealing sleeve collar piece affixed to the interior of the product concealing sleeve at a proximal end of the product concealing sleeve;   a first trapezoidal locking portion extending proximally from the product stick carrier collar piece and having a first helical lateral side and a proximal base side, wherein the first helical lateral side provides the first distal facing edge; and   a second trapezoidal locking portion extending distally from the product concealing sleeve collar piece and having a second helical lateral side and a distal base side, wherein the second helical lateral side provides the second proximal facing edge.   
     
     
         11 . The dispenser of  claim 10 , wherein the proximal base side of the first trapezoidal locking portion provides the first proximal facing edge of the locking arrangement and a distal end edge of the product concealing sleeve collar piece provides the second distal facing edge of the locking arrangement. 
     
     
         12 . The dispenser of  claim 10 , wherein a proximal end of the product stick carrier collar piece provides the first proximal facing edge of the locking arrangement and the distal base side of the second trapezoidal locking portion provides the second distal facing edge of the locking arrangement. 
     
     
         13 . The dispenser of any one of  claims 10 to 12 , wherein the first and second trapezoidal locking portions are each in the form of a right trapezoid, wherein the first trapezoidal locking portion has a first axially extending lateral side opposite the first helical lateral side and the second trapezoidal locking portion has a second axially extending lateral side opposite the second helical lateral side. 
     
     
         14 . The dispenser of any one of  claims 10 to 13 , wherein the first trapezoidal locking portion is integrally formed with the product stick carrier collar piece and the second trapezoidal locking portion is integrally formed with the product concealing sleeve collar piece. 
     
     
         15 . The dispenser of  claim 3 , wherein the distal end edge of the product stick carrier collar piece provides the first distal facing edge, and the locking arrangement comprises a locking portion extending distally from the product concealing sleeve collar piece, wherein the locking portion comprises an axially extending portion and a first circumferentially extending portion extending from the distal end of the axially extending portion, wherein the first circumferentially extending portion provides at least a portion of the second proximal facing edge, wherein:
 the circumferential gap is provided between the ends of the first distal facing edge and extends between the circumferential end edges of the product concealing sleeve collar piece; and   the product stick carrier collar piece is spaced from the distal edge of the product stick carrier to enable the first circumferentially extending portion to be located between the product stick carrier collar piece and the distal edge of the product stick carrier when in the extended, concealing position   
     
     
         16 . The dispenser of  claim 15 , wherein the locking portion is L-shaped. 
     
     
         17 . The dispenser of  claim 15 or 16 , wherein the locking portion includes a second circumferentially extending portion extending from the distal end of the axially extending portion in the opposite circumferential direction to the extension of the first circumferentially extending portion, wherein the first circumferentially extending portion and the second circumferentially extending portion each provide parts of the second proximal facing edge. 
     
     
         18 . The dispenser of  claim 15 or claim 17 , wherein the locking portion is T-shaped. 
     
     
         19 . The dispenser of  any preceding claim , comprising visual marks on the exterior of the outer sleeve and the product concealing sleeve to represent the rotational position of the product concealing sleeve with respect to the product stick carrier. 
     
     
         20 . The dispenser of  claim 19 , wherein the visual marks are aligned with one another when the product concealing sleeve is in a rotational position with respect to the product stick carrier which will enable retraction of the product stick carrier from the extended, concealing position. 
     
     
         21 . The dispenser of  any preceding claim , wherein, when retraction of the product concealing sleeve is enabled, the product concealing sleeve is retractable to a second, fully retracted position of the product concealing sleeve relative to the product stick carrier. 
     
     
         22 . The dispenser of  any preceding claim , comprising a base disc fixed to a proximal end edge of each of the product stick carrier and the outer sleeve. 
     
     
         23 . The dispenser of  claim 22  as dependent upon  claim 21 , wherein the second, fully retracted position of the product concealing sleeve is a set position defined when a proximal end of the product concealing sleeve engages the base disc. 
     
     
         24 . The dispenser of  any preceding claim  wherein the extended, concealing position corresponds substantially to the first, fully extended position.