ΠELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to sample dispensers in general and in

particular to sample dispensers having an outward artistic and ornamental

appearance in the form of a human body and one or more movable

appendages, such as arms and legs, which may be manipulated for

dispensing a sample of a product.

Various designs of sample dispensers having an outward artistic and

ornamental appearance are known in the art.

For example, U.S. Patent No. 1,694,959 to Ament describes an

atomizer in the form of an ornamental figure such as a toe dancer standing

with one leg upright upon a pillow while the other leg is substantially

horizontal with its foot being inclined backward toward the upstanding leg

and with an aperture at its knee. The aspirator of the atomizer is concealed

within the leg upon which the figure stands while the spray tube of the

atomizer is concealed within the substantially horizontal leg such that a

sample of perfume can be dispensed through the aperture from a reservoir

within the pillow.

Other designs of sample dispensers having an outward artistic and

ornamental appearance include one or more movable appendages which

may be manipulated for dispensing a sample of a product.

For example, U.S. Patent No. 1,767,911 to Berko et al. describes an

atomizer in the form of a doll having one or more movable appendages,

such as the arms and legs constituting parts of the doll, which may be

manipulated to cause atomization of a perfume, the spray issuing from one

or more orifices in portions of the doll, such as its mouth, eyes, nose,

etc. While U.S. Patent No. 4,982,874 to Pringle describes a shampoo

dispenser container in the form of an action figure, such as an army figure,

having a fluid pumping system that operates to dispense shampoo from the

container in an exploding type pattern as one of the arms of the action

figure is operated in a combat type movement. And while U.S. Patent No.

5,172,863 to Melone et al. describes a dispenser for fluids including a doll

body having a pair of pivotally mounted wings thereon, a dispensing

assembly in the doll body and a linkage mechanism which is responsive to

the pivotal movement of the wings for dispensing fluid from an aperture.

Although the above and similar designs have had limited success,

they suffer from the disadvantage that they lack realism by failing to

imitate the motion of a consumer, a sales assistant, a waitress and the like

dispensing a sample of a product.

There is therefore a need for a sample dispenser having an outward

artistic and omamental appearance which imitates the motion of a

consumer, a sales assistant, a waitress and the like dispensing a sample of

a product. In particular, there is a need for a sample dispenser for

dispensing a sample of a cosmetic product onto the back of the hand of a

consumer such that the sample can be readily smelled by the consumer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is for a sample dispenser having an outward

artistic and omamental appearance which imitates the motion of an arm of

a consumer, a sales assistant, a waitress and the like dispensing a sample

of a product. In particular, the present invention is for a sample dispenser

for dispensing a sample of a product onto the back of the hand of a

consumer such that the sample can be readily smelled by the consumer.

Hence, there is provided according to the teachings of the present

invention, a sample dispenser for dispensing a sample of a product, the

sample dispenser comprising: (a) dispensing means for dispensing the

sample, the dispensing means displaceable between a stand-by position and

a dispensing position, the dispensing means dispensing the sample when

deployed in the dispensing position; (b) motorized driving means for

selectively driving the dispensing means between the stand-by position and

the dispensing position; and (c) user controlled activation means for

actuating the motorized driving means.

According to further features of the present invention, the dispensing

means rotates between a substantially upright position and a substantially

horizontal position.

According to still further features of the present invention, the

dispensing means is deployed over the user controlled activation means

when the dispensing means is deployed in the dispensing position.

According to still further features of the present invention, the

dispensing means substantially overlies said user controlled activation

means when said dispensing means is deployed in said dispensing position.

According to yet still further features of the present invention, the

user controlled activation means is a depressible device or a sensor.

According to yet still further features of the present invention, the

dispenser includes selection means for enabling a user to select a sample

from a plurality of products.

According to yet still further features of the present invention, the

dispenser includes speech delivery means for delivering a sales pitch

associated with the sample.

According to yet still further features of the present invention, the

dispenser includes display means for displaying a storage container of the

product.

According to yet still further features of the present invention, the

sample dispenser is configured as at least a portion of a mannequin.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is herein described, by way of example only, with

reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are schematic illustrations of a preferred embodiment

of a sample dispenser having a movable appendage for dispensing a sample

of product, constructed and operative according to the teachings of the

present invention, in which the movable appendage is in its stand-by

position and in its dispensing position, respectively;

FIG. 3 is a close-up view of the dispensing arm of the sample

dispenser of Figure 1;

FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of the control system of the sample

dispenser of Figure 1 ;

FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of the sample delivery system of

the sample dispenser of Figure 1 ; and

FIGS. 6a and 6b are side and front schematic illustrations of the

driving mechanism of the sample dispenser of Figure 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is of a sample dispenser for dispensing a

sample of a product. The product can be from a wide range of consumer

goods including cosmetics, beverages, comestible products and the like.

The principles and operation of the sample dispenser according to

the present invention may be better understood with reference to the

drawings and the accompanying description.

Referring now to the drawings, Figures 1 and 2 show a sample

dispenser, generally designated 10, constructed and operative according to

the teachings of the present invention, for dispensing a sample of a

product. The product can be from a wide range of consumer goods

including, but not limited to, cosmetics, beverages, comestible products and

the like. Typical cosmetics include liquid cosmetics such as perfumes,

paste cosmetics such as hand cream, powder cosmetics, and the like.

Typical beverages can include beer, fruit juice, and the like. Typical

comestibles can include confectioneries and the like.

Sample dispenser 10 is preferably in the form of a mannequin.

Mannequin 10 can be a full body human figure including a head 12

mounted on a trunk section 14, a right arm 16 terminating in a right hand

18, a left arm 20 terminating in a left hand 22, a right leg 24 and a left leg

26. However, it is sufficient for the purpose of the present invention that

mannequin 10 includes head 12, trunk section 14, right arm 16, right hand

18, left arm 20 and left hand 22 as will become apparent hereinbelow. For

the sake of exposition, mannequin 10 is shown in the form of a female

figure, however, it can be readily appreciated that mannequin 10 can be in

the form of a male figure, a cartoon character, etc. depending on the

product being promoted.

It is a particular feature of the present invention that one of

appendages 16 and 20 is employed for dispensing a sample of a product

being promoted by mannequin 10 while the other appendage is used as a

user controlled actuator for initiating a dispensing action of mannequin 10.

In this instance, right arm 16 is employed as the dispensing arm and

therefore includes a dispenser 28 for dispensing a sample of the product.

Dispenser 28 is preferably integrated with right hand 18 such that it is

concealed from view as best seen in Figure 3. Dispenser 28 is adapted to

the type of product to be dispensed by mannequin 10. For example,

dispenser 28 can be an atomizer for dispensing samples of perfumes, a

spout for dispensing beverages, etc. In this case, left arm 20 is employed

as the user controlled actuator arm and therefore includes an actuator 30

actuated by the hand of a consumer for indicating that he or she wants to

sample the product being promoted by mannequin 10. Actuator 30 is

preferably integrated with left hand 22 such that it is readily accessible.

Actuator 30 can be a depressible pushbutton, an IR sensor, an ultra sound

detector, and the like. Furthermore, an array of actuators 30 can be

provided such that a consumer can select a sample from a number of

products.

It is a particular feature of the present invention that right arm 16,

being the dispensing arm, is selectively displaceable between a stand-by

position and a dispensing position. In particular, right arm 16 includes an

upper arm section 32 rigidly connected to trunk section 14 and a lower arm

section 34 pivotally mounted at right elbow 36 such that it can be rotated

with respect to arm section 34- between a substantially upright stand-by

position shown in Figure 1 to a substantially horizontal dispensing position

shown in Figure 2. Left arm 18 is typically rigidly connected to trunk

section 14.

It should be noted that the height of dispenser 28 above actuator 30

when arm section 34 is deployed in its dispensing position is preferably

varied to accommodate the type of product being promoted by mannequin

10. For example, in the case that mannequin 10 is dispensing samples of

perfume, dispenser 28, in the form of an atomizer, preferably approaches

actuator 30 until dispenser 28 substantially overlies actuator 30 such that

the sample is dispensed on the back of the consumer's hand actuating

actuator 30. While, in the case that mannequin 10 is dispensing samples

of beverage, dispenser 28 preferably approaches actuator 30 such that it is

deployed above actuator 30 such that dispenser 28, in the form of a spout,

can fill a glass placed on actuator 30.

It is a further feature of mannequin 10 that one of hands 18 and 22

is preferably configured such that it can grip a storage container 38 of the

product that mannequin 10 dispenses samples thereof such that storage

container 38 is on display before the public, thereby inducing an awareness

of the packaging of the product. In this case, as best seen in Figure 3,

preferably hand 18 is configured to grip storage container 38 such that

dispenser 28 can be integrated with storage container 38 to further enhance

the imitation of consumer, a sales assistant, a waitress and the like

dispensing a sample of a product.

Product awareness can be further enhanced by providing mannequin

10 with a speech delivery capability, generally designated 40, such that

mannequin 10 issues a sales pitch each time a sample of the product is

dispensed. The sales pitch can be in the form of the name of the product,

an advertising slogan, the price of the perfume, etc. Speech delivery

capability 40 is preferably realized by a dedicated hardware component 42

(see Figure 4) as known in the art and a loudspeaker 44 integrated with the

mouth of mannequin 10. Speech delivery capability 40 can also be

activated by a volume detector 41, for example, as employed in a burglar

alarm system, detecting the presence of a consumer from afar.

With reference now to Figure 4, the schematic illustration depicts

trunk section 14 housing a control system 46 controlling the operation of

mannequin 10. Control system 46 receives an input signal along an input

line 48 from actuator 30 when a consumer has indicated that he wants to

receive a sample of the product being promoted by mannequin 10. In turn,

control system 46 provides three output signals as follows: First, an output

signal along line 50 to a sample delivery system, generally designated 52,

for delivering a sample of the product. Second, an output signal along line

54 to a motorized driving mechanism, generally designated 56, described

below with reference to Figures 6a and 6b, for driving lower arm 34

between its substantially upright stand-by position and its substantially

horizontal dispensing position. And finally, an output signal along line 58

to speech deliver capability 40 for delivering a sales pitch associated with

the product.

With reference now to Figure 5, the schematic illustration depicts

sample delivery system 52 as including a collapsible drip bag 60, a gate

valve 62, a pump 64, a solenoid valve 66, a supply line 68 extending along

right arm 18 to a non-return valve 70 and atomizer 28. Other

implementations of sample delivery system 52 can be equally realized.

Turning now to Figures 6a and 6b, the schematic illustrations show

a preferred implementation of driving mechanism 56 for driving lower arm

34 between a substantially upright stand-by position and a substantially

horizontal dispensing position. Broadly speaking, driving mechanism 56

includes a motor 72, connected to line 54, for rotating a wheel 74 for

releasing and taking up a cable 76 connected to lower arm 34 such that

lower arm 34 can rotate about a pivot 78 at right elbow 36 between a

substantially upright position and a substantially horizontal position. Upper

and lower limit switches 80 and 82, respectively, are employed for

determining the movement of lower arm 34. Upper limit switch indicates

the stand-by position of lower arm 34 while lower limit switch indicates

the dispensing position of lower arm 34.

The operation of mannequin 10 is as follows starting from an initial

stand-by position for the dispensing of a sample of perfume. Hence, in this

case, dispenser 28 is preferably in the form of an atomizer and the

dispensing position of lower arm 34 is such that dispenser 28 substantially

overlies actuator 30.

A consumer approaches mannequin 10 and actuates actuator 30 to

indicate that he or she wishes to sample the product being promoted by

mannequin 10. Actuator 30 transmits a signal to control system 46 which

in turn transmits a signal to motor 72 for lowering lower arm 34 from its

stand-by position to its dispensing position. Lower arm 34 activates limit

switch 82 on arrival at its dispensing position for transmitting a signal to

control system 46 that a sample can be dispensed. Control system 46

actuates pump 64 and transmits a signal to solenoid 66 causing a sample

of product to be dispensed from dispenser 28 onto the back of the hand of

the consumer actuating actuator 30. After a sample has been delivered,

control system 46 disables pump 64 and solenoid 66 and transmits a signal

to motor 72 for raising lower arm 34 from its substantially horizontal

dispensing position to its substantially vertical stand-by position. Lower

arm 34 activates limit switch 80 on arrival at its stand-by position for

transmitting a signal to control system 46 that motor 72 can be disabled.

While the invention has been described with respect to a limited

number of embodiments, it will be appreciated that many variations,

modifications and other applications of the invention may be made.