Dispenser for cutlery utensils

Details Dispenser for cutlery utensils Dispenser for cutlery utensils

2002-11-07

2004-12-21

Noland, Kenneth (Department: 3653)

Article dispensing

Dispenser delivering to stationary article support for...

Articles released for gravity deposit in or on support

C221S239000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06832694

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a cutlery dispenser and, more particularly, to a cutlery dispenser that is capable of dispensing one utensil at a time in a sanitary manner.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
People are eating out now more often for breakfast, lunch, and dinner at public food establishments. Public food establishments generally provide eating utensils for their customers. In many fast food or other less formal types of food establishments, the food establishment provides disposable utensils, including spoons, forks, sporks, and knives, for its customers' use. (A spork is a cross between a fork and a spoon, having an eating portion comprised of a bowl portion with tines (i.e., a tine portion) extending therefrom.)
A significant expense incurred in these types of establishments is the costs associated with these disposable utensils and other tableware. While it is necessary to make the utensils readily accessible to customers, there is a need to dispense the utensils in a sanitary manner and in a way that discourages the customers from taking more than the necessary number of utensils.
Presently, in some instances, the utensils are wrapped in plastic wrap, either individually or in combination (such as a spoon, a fork, a spork, and/or a knife in one plastic wrap). While the utensils are kept sanitary in the plastic wrap, people sometimes take more utensils than they actually need for their meal. This adds to the overall operating costs of the food establishment. In addition, this uses a lot of plastic wrap, which is an environmental issue.
In other instances, the food establishment provides containers filled with utensils such that a customer reaches into the container to grab a utensil. The containers are typically bins that have open tops, which allow the customers to remove any number of utensils. Similar to above, people sometimes take more utensils than needed, which adds to the overall operating costs of the food establishment. In addition, because the utensils are exposed, this alternative may be less than adequately sanitary. For example, if someone with oils or other contaminants on his hands reaches into the container, these contaminants may be transferred to utensils in the container that are not grabbed by that person but are grabbed by a subsequent person. Also, dust and other contaminants may readily contact the utensils in the container.
Certain types of cutlery dispensers are known in the art, such as U.S. Pat. No. 2,141,684, issued to Diemer; U.S. Pat. No. 2,188,573, issued to Longo; U.S. Pat. No. 2,911,127, issued to Driss et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,921,408, issued to Groenewold et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,336,568, issued to Tucker et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,141,684, issued to Diemer (“the '684 patent”), discloses a dispensing device. The '684 patent discloses a dispensing cabinet that has an interior that is divided into a plurality of vertical compartments by partitions. For each compartment, there are two opposed vertical guide channels that contact both end portions of the article to be dispensed. At the bottom of the forward guide channel, a horizontal shelf is provided that extends inwardly and against which the forward end of the lowermost article may rest to support the entire stack of articles. In the front wall of the forward guide channel just above the horizontal shelf, an aperture allowing the entrance of an ejecting plunger into the compartment is provided. The rear wall of the rear guide channel is provided with an aperture of a size to permit only the passage therethrough of the lowermost article. The upper portion of an end of the plunger is provided with a bevel. In the normal position of the plunger, the lowermost article is resting on the shelf. When the article is to be dispensed, the plunger is manually pressed inwardly against the force of a spring, and then the inner end of the plunger engages with the forward end of the article. At the same time, the front end of the article just above the lowermost one is engaged on the bevel so that the entire stack of articles is raised so that the weight of the stack is appreciably released from the lowermost article. The lowermost article is simultaneously slid backwardly so that its end passes through the aperture in the rear guide channel. After the forward end of the lowermost article is pushed off of the forward shelf, the article takes an angular suspended position where it may be grasped by the user inserting his hand through a suitable opening in the front wall of the cabinet.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,188,573, issued to Longo (“the '573 patent”), discloses a dispenser. The '573 patent discloses a cabinet that includes one or more holders therein, wherein each holder holds a particular type of cutlery utensil. The utensils are stacked in the holder so as to lay on lugs at each end of the bottom of the holder, which is otherwise open, and to lay on a block provided in a middle portion of the stack of utensils. In operation, a corresponding plunger for the desired utensil is thrust in using a button outside the dispenser. This actuates an appropriate lever and rocker arm, thereby turning an associated sleeve and moving an associated finger forward. This finger, engaging the handle of the utensil, will push such handle sideways through a cut-out in a vertical strip on one side of the holder and beyond the lug on that side into a downwardly and forwardly sloping slide. As the other end of the utensil is held back by a narrowed lower end of a vertical strip on the other side of the holder, a turning motion is imposed on the utensil to project its handle end over the slide. During this turning motion, as soon as the root end of the handle portion of the utensil is cleared away from the block below it, the tip of the utensil over the lug is freed from the holder and the utensil slides down along the slide onto a chute sloping downward and toward the bottom center of the cabinet.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,911,127, issued to Driss et al. (“the '127 patent”), discloses a machine for dispensing spoons or like articles. The '127 patent discloses a housing that has a front end that is open but is closed by a removable cover. In the housing, spoons are stacked together facing downward, with the front ends of the spoons confined in a first channel and the rear ends confined in a second channel. The front lip of the lowermost spoon rests on a ledge in the first channel and the rear handle of that spoon rests on an extension of a horizontal connecting wall. When an electromagnet is energized, an armature moves an actuating member inwardly or rearward and an inclined edge of the actuating member engages the rear handle of the lowermost spoon to move that spoon sideways at an angle so that it is pushed off the extension and over an open space. This causes the lowermost spoon to tilt down from its handle end and thereby disengage itself from the ledge and drop by gravity into a chute. The spoon then slides down the chute to be manually removed through an opening in the removable front cover of the housing. When the electromagnet is deenergized, the armature and the actuating member are retracted and the next lowermost spoon rests on the ledge and extension, and is ready for release upon the next actuation of the actuating member.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,921,408, issued to Groenewold et al. (“the '408 patent”), discloses a cutlery dispenser. This patent discloses a flatware dispensing unit including a housing having at least one compartment. The compartment has an elongated slot for exposing a portion of the flatware. A flatware cartridge is receivable in the compartment, and has a complementary elongated slot substantially aligned with the elongated slot of the compartment. A handle portion of the flatware extends from the elongated slots of the cartridge and the compartment to allow one to remove the flatware from the cartridge.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,336,568, issued to Tucker et al. (“the '568 patent”), discloses a cutlery utensil dispenser. The '568 patent disclo

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