Utensil Dispenser

• US 20130193157A1
• Filed: 01/11/2013
• Published: 08/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GPCP IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: US Foods, Inc. (US Foods Holding Corp.)
• Inventors: Prince, Michael, Mathison, Jeff, Kulujian, Christian, Eyman, Mark, Jongen, Todd, Bobroff, Jeffrey
• Granted Patent: US 9,049,948 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 221/23
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/08 dispensing from bottom
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/10 having mechanical dispensing means , e.g. with buttons or handles
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 13/00 Shop or like accessories devices for drawing-off and cutting paper from a roll B65H; movably-mounted ladders E06C9/06
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 2001/103 for cutlery
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 21/00 Table-ware crumb trays A47L13/52; table knives B26B
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5573 player location
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds

Abstract

A utensil dispenser including a reservoir that stores utensils and front and rear pedestals in contact with a next utensil. The pedestals contain a plurality of utensils within the reservoir. A gravity feed ramp moves the next utensil to an access port of the utensil dispenser. The utensil dispenser includes an actuator operably connected to a drive pin or other drive mechanism. The actuator is configured to halt a dispensing utensil at a ready position based upon contact between the dispensing utensil and the actuator. In the ready position, a handle portion of the dispensing utensil is accessible via the access port. The drive mechanism is configured to contact the next utensil. The actuator is configured to move the drive mechanism to move the next utensil to clear the front pedestal to release the next utensil from the reservoir onto the gravity feed ramp when the dispensing utensil is dispensed.

Claims

1. A utensil dispenser comprising:

a reservoir configured to store a plurality of utensils;

a rear pedestal configured to contact a rear portion of a next utensil to be dispensed of the plurality of utensils;

a front pedestal configured to contact one or more detents in the next utensil, wherein the front pedestal and the rear pedestal are configured to contain the plurality of utensils within the reservoir;

a gravity feed ramp configured to move the next utensil to an access port of the utensil dispenser;

an actuator operably connected to a drive mechanism, the actuator configured to halt a dispensing utensil at a ready position based upon contact between the dispensing utensil and the actuator such that, in the ready position, a handle portion of the dispensing utensil is accessible via the access port;

wherein the drive mechanism is configured to contact the next utensil, and wherein the actuator is further configured to move the drive mechanism into a release position that moves the next utensil to clear the front pedestal to release the next utensil from the reservoir onto the gravity feed ramp when the dispensing utensil is dispensed.

2. The utensil dispenser of claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism comprises a drive pin.

3. The utensil dispenser of claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism comprises a drive hammer.

4. The utensil dispenser of claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism is further configured to move the next utensil to clear the rear pedestal to release the next utensil from the reservoir onto the gravity feed ramp when the dispensing utensil is dispensed.

5. The utensil dispenser of claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism includes the rear pedestal.

6. The utensil dispenser of claim 5, wherein the actuator is further configured to return to a home position to clear the next utensil from the rear pedestal.

7. The utensil dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a manual activation button configured to move the drive mechanism into the release position when activated.

8. A utensil comprising:

a utensil body having a utensil body front portion and a utensil body rear portion;

a winged portion operatively connected to the utensil body front portion, the winged portion configured to rest on a front pedestal of a utensil dispenser when the utensil is stored in a reservoir of the utensil dispenser; and

a tail portion operatively connected to the utensil body rear portion, the tail portion configured to;

rest on a rear pedestal of the utensil dispenser when the utensil is stored in the reservoir of the utensil dispenser, the utensil remaining within the reservoir when the winged portion is resting on the front pedestal and the tail portion rests on the rear pedestal; and

contact a drive mechanism of the utensil dispenser, the drive mechanism configured to selectively move the utensil via the tail portion such that the winged portion clears the front pedestal and the tail portion clears the rear pedestal, permitting that the plastic utensil to fall from the reservoir.

9. The utensil of claim 8, wherein the drive mechanism comprises a drive pin.

10. The utensil of claim 8, wherein the drive mechanism comprises a drive hammer.

11. The utensil of claim 8, wherein the drive mechanism moves the utensil to clear the rear pedestal to release the utensil from the reservoir onto a gravity feed ramp when a dispensing utensil is dispensed.

12. The utensil of claim 8, wherein the drive mechanism includes the rear pedestal.

13. The utensil of claim 12, wherein the utensil is configured to clear the rear pedestal based upon an actuator returning to a home position.

14. A method comprising:

removing a utensil from a utensil dispenser;

moving an actuation component based upon the utensil being removed, wherein the utensil is in contact with the actuation component while being removed;

engaging a drive mechanism based upon the moving of the actuation component;

freeing a next utensil from a reservoir onto a gravity feed ramp based upon the drive mechanism; and

halting the next utensil on the gravity feed ramp such that a tail portion of the utensil extrudes from the utensil dispenser.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the drive mechanism comprises a drive pin.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the drive mechanism comprises a drive hammer.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the drive mechanism moves the utensil to clear the rear pedestal to release the utensil from the reservoir onto the gravity feed ramp when the dispensing utensil is dispensed.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the drive mechanism includes the rear pedestal.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the utensil is configured to clear the rear pedestal based upon an actuator returning to a home position.