FRONT LOADING CUTLERY DISPENSER

• US 20150041484A1
• Filed: 08/07/2014
• Published: 02/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GPCP IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Dixie Consumer Products LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Oakes, Shawn Allen
• Granted Patent: US 9,693,640 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 221/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/126 the pushing device being urged by spring means
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 10/06 for restaurant service systems table equipment A47G ; dirty crockery transport in association with crockery washing machines A47L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 2001/103 for cutlery

Abstract

The present application provides a cutlery dispenser for use with a number of cutlery utensils. The cutlery dispenser may include a housing and a front cover. The front cover may include a dispensing opening and a spring loaded retainer such that the cutlery utensils may be loaded through the front cover and may be dispensed therefrom.

Claims

1. A cutlery dispenser for use with a number of cutlery utensils, comprising:

a housing; and

a front cover;

the front cover comprising a dispensing opening and a spring loaded retainer such that the number of cutlery utensils may be loaded through the front cover and may be dispensed therefrom.

2. The cutlery dispenser of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a trough therein.

3. The cutlery dispenser of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a guide therein.

4. The cutlery dispenser of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises an end cap.

5. The cutlery dispenser of claim 1, wherein the front cover comprises a frame surrounding the dispensing opening in whole or in part.

6. The cutlery dispenser of claim 5, wherein the frame defines one or more side notches in the dispensing opening.

7. The cutlery dispenser of claim 1, wherein the spring loaded retainer comprises a bottom retainer.

8. The cutlery dispenser of claim 7, wherein the bottom retainer comprises a bottom retainer spring.

9. The cutlery dispenser of claim 7, wherein the bottom retainer comprises a side flange.

10. The cutlery dispenser of claim 1, wherein the spring loaded retainer comprises a side retainer.

11. The cutlery dispenser of claim 10, wherein the side retainer comprises a side retainer spring.

12. The cutlery dispenser of claim 10, wherein the side retainer comprises a curved shape.

13. The cutlery dispenser of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a pushing assembly.

14. The cutlery dispenser of claim 1, wherein the number of utensils comprises a stack.

15. A method of dispensing cutlery utensils from a dispenser, comprising:

arranging the cutlery utensils in a stack via a joinder member;

pushing the stack into a front cover of the dispenser;

pivoting a retainer into a first position along the front cover while the stack is pushed therein;

pivoting the retainer into a second position once the stack is within the dispenser;

removing the joinder member from the stack; and

dispensing the cutlery utensils through the front cover.

16. A cutlery dispenser, comprising:

a housing;

a stack of cutlery utensils;

a dispensing opening; and

a retainer positioned about the dispensing opening such that the stack of cutlery utensils may be loaded through the dispensing opening and may be dispensed therefrom.

17. The cutlery dispenser of claim 16, wherein the stack of cutlery utensils comprises a joinder member.

18. The cutlery dispenser of claim 17, wherein the joinder member comprises a skewer.

19. The cutlery dispenser of claim 17, wherein the joinder member comprises a shrink band.

20. The cutlery dispenser of claim 16, wherein the stack of cutlery utensils comprises a plurality of cutlery utensils with one or more triangles of contact.