CUTLERY DISPENSER

• US 20170354270A1
• Filed: 06/13/2017
• Published: 12/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GPCP IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Dixie Consumer Products LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Oakes, Shawn A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,327,567 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/10 having mechanical dispensing means , e.g. with buttons or handles
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/12 dispensing from the side of an approximately horizontal stack A47F1/087 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/125 with an article-pushing device
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 2001/103 for cutlery

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a cutlery dispenser for dispensing cutlery utensils. The cutlery dispenser may include a housing, a cover, a wedge protrusion, and a pair of sweeper arms. The housing may include an interior space and be configured to receive a number of cutlery utensils loaded therein. The cover may enclose a portion of the interior space and be configured to move between a closed position for dispensing the loaded cutlery utensils from the interior space and an open position for loading the cutlery utensils into the interior space. The wedge protrusion may be configured to engage a leading one of the loaded cutlery utensils when the cover is in the closed position and to disengage the leading one of the loaded cutlery utensils when the cover is in an open position. The sweeper arms may be configured to engage the leading one of the loaded cutlery utensils when the cover is in an open position and to disengage the leading one of the loaded cutlery utensils when the cover is in the closed position.

Claims

1. A cutlery dispenser for dispensing cutlery utensils, the dispenser comprising:

a housing comprising an interior space configured to receive a plurality of cutlery utensils loaded therein;

a cover enclosing a portion of the interior space and configured to move between a closed position for dispensing the loaded cutlery utensils from the interior space and an open position for loading the cutlery utensils into the interior space;

a wedge protrusion configured to engage a leading one of the loaded cutlery utensils when the cover is in the closed position and to disengage the leading one of the loaded cutlery utensils when the cover is in an open position; and

a pair of sweeper arms configured to engage the leading one of the loaded cutlery utensils when the cover is in an open position and to disengage the leading one of the loaded cutlery utensils when the cover is in the closed position.

2. The cutlery dispenser of claim 1, wherein the wedge protrusion is positioned along an interior surface of the cover.

3. The cutlery dispenser of claim 2, wherein the wedge protrusion comprises a contact surface oriented at an acute angle relative to the interior surface of the cover, and wherein the contact surface is configured to engage the leading one of the loaded cutlery utensils when the cover is in the closed position.

4. The cutlery dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a trough attached to the cover and configured to receive handles of the loaded cutlery utensils therein.

5. The cutlery dispenser of claim 4, wherein the trough comprises a stop tab, wherein the housing comprises a stop protrusion, and wherein the stop tab is configured to engage the stop protrusion when the cover is in a fully open position to limit movement of the cover relative to the housing.

6. The cutlery dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a pushing assembly positioned within the interior space and configured to move the loaded cutlery utensils toward the cover.

7. The cutlery dispenser of claim 1, wherein the sweeper arms are spaced apart from one another and configured to deflect away from one another as the cutlery utensils are inserted into the interior space.

8. The cutlery dispenser of claim 1, wherein each sweeper arm comprises a contact surface configured to engage the leading one of the loaded cutlery utensils when the cover is in an open position.

9. The cutlery dispenser of claim 1, wherein each sweeper arm comprises a lead-in surface configured to engage the cutlery utensils as the cutlery utensils are inserted into the interior space.

10. The cutlery dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a follower arm attached to the housing and configured to pivot relative to the housing when the cover moves between the closed position and an open position.

11. The cutlery dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a dispensing opening defined by the housing and the cover and configured to allow the loaded cutlery utensils to be dispensed therethrough

12. The cutlery dispenser of claim 11, wherein the wedge protrusion is configured to tilt the leading one of the loaded cutlery utensils when the cover is in the closed position, such that a portion of the leading one of the loaded cutlery utensils extends through the dispensing opening.

13. The cutlery dispenser of claim 1, wherein the cover comprises a slot configured to receive a skewer to facilitate loading of the cutlery utensils into the interior space.

14. The cutlery dispenser of claim 13, further comprising a dispensing opening defined by the housing and the cover and configured to allow the loaded cutlery utensils to be dispensed therethrough, wherein the slot is in communication with the dispensing opening.

15. A cutlery dispenser for dispensing cutlery utensils, the dispenser comprising:

a housing comprising an interior space configured to receive a plurality of cutlery utensils loaded therein;

a cover enclosing a portion of the interior space and configured to move between a closed position for dispensing the loaded cutlery utensils from the interior space and an open position for loading the cutlery utensils into the interior space; and

a trough attached to the cover and configured to receive handles of the loaded cutlery utensils therein, wherein the trough comprises a stop wall positioned at or near an end of the trough opposite the cover and configured to engage a trailing one of the loaded cutlery utensils when the dispenser is at a maximum fill level.

16. The cutlery dispenser of claim 15, wherein the cover is configured to translate relative to the housing between the closed position and the open position, and wherein the trough is configured to receive the handles of the loaded cutlery utensils therein, such that the loaded cutlery utensils are oriented in a substantially upright manner with functional heads of the loaded cutlery utensils positioned above the handles.

17. The cutlery dispenser of claim 16, further comprising:

a dispensing opening defined by the housing and the cover and configured to allow the loaded cutlery utensils to be dispensed therethrough.

18. The cutlery dispenser of claim 16, further comprising:

a wedge protrusion configured to engage a leading one of the loaded cutlery utensils when the cover is in the closed position and to disengage the leading one of the loaded cutlery utensils when the cover is in an open position; and

a pair of sweeper arms configured to engage the leading one of the loaded cutlery utensils when the cover is in an open position and to disengage the leading one of the loaded cutlery utensils when the cover is in the closed position.

19. A cutlery dispenser for dispensing cutlery utensils, the dispenser comprising:

a housing comprising an interior space configured to receive a plurality of cutlery utensils loaded therein;

a cover enclosing a portion of the interior space and configured to move between a closed position for dispensing the loaded cutlery utensils from the interior space and an open position for loading the cutlery utensils into the interior space, wherein the cover comprises a slot configured to receive a skewer to facilitate loading of the cutlery utensils into the interior space.

20. The cutlery dispenser of claim 19, wherein the slot extends vertically from a top of the cover.

21. The cutlery dispenser of claim 19, further comprising a dispensing opening defined by the housing and the cover and configured to allow the loaded cutlery utensils to be dispensed therethrough.

22. The cutlery dispenser of claim 21, wherein the slot is in communication with the dispensing opening.