PEZ Patents

Oh, this is fascinating.

There are several patents related to the PEZ dispenser. PEZ, Inc. has applied for and received patents related to the PEZ dispensers. Usually, the patent number is molded onto the stem changed every time PEZ, Inc. made a change in the design of the dispenser.

The patent number cannot be reliably used to determine how old the dispenser is. For example, the 5.9 Patent was granted in 1999, but didn't first appear on a PEZ item until 2002. By 2007, 4.9 patented items were still regularly appearing on store shelves. Dispensers can also be found with several non-US patents, such as the German "DBP 818.829" (Deutsches Bundes Patent), and the Mexican "Patent Nr 141,242."

Here's the U.S. Patent timeline. Bet you can't look up just one!

U.S. Patent 2,620,061 1952 —Pocket article dispensing container (first patent for the PEZ dispenser)

U.S. Patent 3,410,455 1968 — Dispensing Device for tablets

U.S. Patent 3,845,882 1974 — Spring cage for use in a tablet dispensing receptacle

U.S. Patent 3,942,683 1976 — Tablet dispensing receptacle

U.S. Patent 4,966,305 1990 — Tablet dispenser

U.S. Patent 5,984,285 1999 — Plastic spring