Food distribution system

• US 20050035136A1
• Filed: 07/11/2003
• Published: 02/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Mills Incorporated
• Original Assignee: General Mills Incorporated
• Inventors: Kells, Dion L., Dathe, Paul
• Application Number:
  US10/617,425
• Publication Number:
  US 20050035136A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 221/71
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/04 Racks or containers with arrangements for dispensing articles , e.g. by means of gravity or springs
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/72 Auxiliary equipment, e.g. for lighting cigars, opening bottles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/10 with associated dispensing of containers, e.g. cups or other articles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0071 Food articles which need to be processed for dispensing in a cold condition, e.g. ice and ice cream

Abstract

A system for providing food items in conjunction with eating utensils. The system comprises a food display unit proximate a point of sale and a eating utensil dispenser associated with the food display unit. The food display unit includes a shelf for displaying the food items. The eating utensil dispenser includes a housing and a attachment device for coupling the housing to the food display unit. The housing has an opening therethrough and a cavity in communication with the opening. The cavity is adapted to receive a bandolier of individually wrapped eating utensils, and the eating utensils are dispensed through the opening.

Claims

1. A method of providing a food item with an eating utensil, the method comprising:

providing a food display unit proximate a point of sale;

providing individual food items within the food display unit; and

associating a dispenser with the food display unit, wherein the dispenser is adapted to dispense eating utensils.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising loading a plurality of eating utensils into the dispenser, wherein the eating utensils are in satchels and the satchels are interconnected to form a bandolier.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the food display unit is a refrigerator unit.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the food display unit is a freezer unit.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the food display unit is heated.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the food display unit is neither heated nor cool ed.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising a associating a microwave oven with the food display unit.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the eating utensils are spoons.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the eating utensils are forks.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the eating utensils are sporks.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the dispenser is coupled with a shelf within the food display unit.

12. A method of providing a food item on the go, comprising:

providing a food display case proximate a point of sale, the display having at least one shelf;

stocking a food item within the display;

providing a dispenser coupled to the at least one shelf, wherein the dispenser includes a cavity and an opening.

providing a bandolier of individually wrapped eating utensils; and

storing the bandolier within the cavity so that a first end of the bandolier is fed through the opening so that the utensils can be dispensed.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the food display case is a refrigerator unit.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the food display case is a freezer unit.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the food display case is heated.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the food display case is neither heated nor cooled.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising a associating a microwave oven with the food display case.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the eating utensils are spoons.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the eating utensils are forks.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the eating utensils are sporks.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the food item is yogurt.

22. A utensil dispenser comprising:

a housing;

a cavity within the housing for receiving a bandolier of individually wrapped items;

an opening through the housing in communication with the cavity; and

an attachment device for coupling the housing to a price shelf of shelving unit.

23. The spoon dispenser of claim 22, wherein the attachment device is a bracket.

24. The spoon dispenser of claim 22, wherein the attachment device is selected from the group consisting of screws and bolts.

25. The spoon dispenser of claim 22, wherein the attachment device is an adhesive.

26. The spoon dispenser of claim 22, wherein the attachment device is a magnet.

27. A system for providing food items in conjunction with eating utensils, the system comprising:

a food display unit proximate a point of sale, the display unit including a shelf for displaying the food items; and

a dispenser associated with the food display unit and including

a housing having an opening therethrough and a cavity in communication with the opening and adapted to receive a bandolier of individually wrapped eating utensils, wherein

the eating utensils are dispensed through the opening, and

an attachment device for coupling the housing to the display unit.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the food display unit is a refrigerator unit.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the food display unit is a freezer unit.

30. The system of claim 27, wherein the food display unit is heated.

31. The system of claim 27, wherein the food display unit is neither heated nor cooled.

32. The method of claim 27, further comprising a microwave oven associated with the food display unit.

33. A method for dispensing food packets for use with a food product on the go, comprising:

providing a food display case proximate a point of sale, the display having at least one shelf;

stocking a food product within the display;

providing a dispenser coupled to the at least one shelf, wherein the dispenser includes a cavity and an opening.

providing a bandolier of individually wrapped food packets; and

storing the bandolier within the cavity so that a first end of the bandolier is fed through the opening so that the food packets can be dispensed.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the act of providing a bandolier of individually wrapped food packets include providing food packets containing a seasoning.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the act of providing a bandolier of individually wrapped food packets include providing food packets containing a topping.

36. A method for providing free samples of a food product prior to purchase of the product, comprising:

providing a food display case, the display having at least one shelf;

stocking free samples of the food product within the display;

providing at least one dispenser coupled to the at least one shelf, wherein the dispenser includes a cavity and an opening.

providing at least one bandolier, with each of the at least one bandolier including one of utensils or food packets; and

storing the at least one bandolier within the cavity so that a first end of the bandolier is fed through the opening so that the one of the utensils or food packets can be dispensed.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the act of providing free samples includes providing a quantity of food product consistent the objective of enabling a customer to appreciate the taste of the food product sold.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the act of providing at least one dispenser, includes providing two dispensers.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the act of providing a bandolier includes providing one bandolier with utensils and one bandolier with food packets.