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Cutlery dispenser

  • US 10,051,976 B2
  • Filed: 09/12/2017
  • Issued: 08/21/2018
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2016
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A cutlery dispenser comprising:

  • a base comprising a base bottom configured to rest on a surface, a base top opposite the base bottom, and a base height extending from the base bottom to the base top;

    a cartridge attached to the base and comprising a cartridge bottom, a cartridge top, a cartridge height extending from the cartridge bottom to the cartridge top, and a chamber;

    a stack of cutlery pieces located in the cartridge chamber, each cutlery piece having an eating portion comprising an eating portion tip, a handle comprising a handle tip and a cutlery piece length extending from the eating portion tip to the handle tip, the cutlery piece length generally perpendicular to the cartridge height, the stack of cutlery pieces comprising a top comprising a top cutlery piece, a bottom comprising a bottom cutlery piece and a stack height extending from the top cutlery piece to the bottom cutlery piece and generally parallel to the cartridge height;

    a system dispensing mechanism configured to move between a resting position in which the cutlery stack is stationary within the cartridge chamber to a dispensing position in which the system dispensing mechanism ejects at least a portion of a piece of cutlery out of the cartridge chamber, the system dispensing mechanism comprising a base dispensing mechanism forming a portion of the base and a cartridge dispensing mechanism located in the cartridge chamber, the base dispensing mechanism removably engaged with the cartridge dispensing mechanism; and

    an actuator configured to move the system dispensing mechanism from the resting position to the dispensing position,wherein the base dispensing mechanism and the cartridge dispensing mechanism are configured to move together in a coupled fashion to eject the portion of the piece of cutlery out of the cartridge chamber, andfurther wherein the base dispensing mechanism comprises a base cam shaft attached to the base and the cartridge dispensing mechanism comprises a cartridge cam shaft attached to the cartridge, the cartridge cam shaft and the base cam shaft configured to rotate together along an aligned axis of rotation in the same direction in a coupled fashion to eject the portion of the piece of cutlery out of the cartridge chamber.

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