CUTLERY UTENSIL DISPENSING APPARATUS AND METHOD
First Claim
1. A cutlery utensil dispenser for dispensing cutlery utensils and comprising:
- a dispensing tray including a floor and a region dimensioned and configured to house a cutlery utensil having first and second portions in a first orientation in which the cutlery utensil rests on the floor in the region and in which the cutlery utensil is within the cutlery utensil dispenser and inaccessible to a user;
a wall of the region having a fulcrum end dimensioned to engage the cutlery utensil; and
a dispensing mechanism including an engagement portion to selectively engage the cutlery utensil and to move an engaged portion of the cutlery utensil toward an exit of the dispenser such that the cutlery utensil rotates about the fulcrum end until the second portion of the cutlery utensil projects from the cutlery utensil dispenser and is accessible to the user in a second orientation.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A cutlery utensil dispenser has a dispensing tray with a floor and a region housing a cutlery utensil. The cutlery utensil has first and second portions and is moved by an engagement portion of an actuator from a first orientation to a second orientation. In the first orientation, the cutlery utensil rests on the floor in the region and is within the cutlery utensil dispenser, inaccessible to a user. In the second orientation, the second portion of the cutlery utensil projects from the cutlery utensil dispenser and is accessible to the user. A wall of the region has a fulcrum end dimensioned to engage the cutlery utensil. The cutlery utensil rotates about the fulcrum end responsive to the engagement portion toward an exit of the dispenser.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A cutlery utensil dispenser for dispensing cutlery utensils and comprising:
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a dispensing tray including a floor and a region dimensioned and configured to house a cutlery utensil having first and second portions in a first orientation in which the cutlery utensil rests on the floor in the region and in which the cutlery utensil is within the cutlery utensil dispenser and inaccessible to a user; a wall of the region having a fulcrum end dimensioned to engage the cutlery utensil; and a dispensing mechanism including an engagement portion to selectively engage the cutlery utensil and to move an engaged portion of the cutlery utensil toward an exit of the dispenser such that the cutlery utensil rotates about the fulcrum end until the second portion of the cutlery utensil projects from the cutlery utensil dispenser and is accessible to the user in a second orientation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A cutlery utensil dispenser comprising:
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a housing including an exit; a base supporting the housing; a first utensil compartment within the housing, the first utensil compartment including a floor and a wall and being so dimensioned as to house a cutlery utensil in a first orientation in which a handling portion of the cutlery utensil is substantially parallel to the floor along a longitudinal axis of the cutlery utensil, and in which the cutlery utensil is inaccessible to a user within the first utensil compartment; a dispensing mechanism, the dispensing mechanism including a first engagement portion extending into the first utensil compartment; a fulcrum formed in the compartment and establishing, at a distance y1 from an exterior of the exit, a pivot axis substantially transverse to a floor of the compartment and about which the cutlery utensil rotates with the handling portion remaining substantially parallel to the floor, responsive to movement of the cutlery utensil induced by movement of the engagement portion, from the first orientation to a second orientation in which a utility portion of the cutlery utensil remains in the housing inaccessible to the user while the handling portion of the cutlery utensil is accessible to the user. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A cutlery utensil dispenser comprising:
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a housing; a compartment having a floor and a wall disposed within the housing and having a shape that receives a cutlery utensil in a first orientation in which the cutlery utensil is inaccessible to an end user and in which a substantially planar handling portion of the cutlery utensil is substantially parallel to the floor; the housing comprising an exit sized to accommodate the handling portion of the cutlery utensil; a dispensing mechanism disposed within the housing and in mechanical interaction with the cutlery utensil; and the housing comprising a pivot point engageable with a dispensed one of the cutlery utensil and about which the dispensed cutlery utensil, responsive to the dispensing mechanism, rotates with the handling portion remaining substantially parallel to the floor from the first orientation into a second orientation in which the handling portion protrudes from the exit in the housing and is accessible to the end user while a utility portion of the cutlery utensil remains within the housing and inaccessible to the end user. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification