Spoon dispenser

• US 6,250,498 B1
• Filed: 10/26/1999
• Issued: 06/26/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Scott Lovejoy
• Original Assignee: Scott Lovejoy
• Inventors: Lovejoy, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Noland, Kenneth W.
• Application Number:
  US09/426,602
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• Field of Search: 221/185, 221/226, 221/232, 221/231, 221/268, 221/279, 221/270, 206/216, 206/223, 206/553, 206/527, 224/191, 224/196
• US Class Current: 221/185
• 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: A47F 2001/103 for cutlery
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 21/14 Knife racks or stands; Holders for table utensils attachable to plates
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/0418 the articles being substantially flat and stacked one upon the other and the dispensing-closing device sliding the article to be dispensed along the flat side of the next article

Abstract

The present invention 10 discloses a device for holding and dispensing a plurality of spoons 16 in a rapid and easy manner. Disclosed is an enclosure 30 holding a plurality of spoons 16 in a side by side relation whereby the spoons are withdrawn by their handle 42 through an aperture 20 in the top 22 of the enclosure 30. A rotatable belt means 38 is disclosed having hook-like members 46 thereon which contact the spoon tips 44 and thereby eject the spoons 16 from the enclosure. The spoons are held in proper position by a slidably mounted partition 34 having spring means 36 for being biased against the spoons 16. An access door 32 is provided in the enclosure in order to replace spoons 16 when necessary.

Claims

1. An apparatus for dispensing spoons, comprising:

a) a generally rectangular shaped enclosure;

b) said enclosure defined by a top, a bottom, a pair of sides being a front side and a rear side, and a pair of ends being a right end and a left end;

c) an access door;

d) said access door for the spoons formed by one of the sides of said rectangular enclosure;

e) said top having an aperture therein through which a spoon can pass;

f) a belt means for ejecting a spoon from said enclosure;

g) a partition for urging the spoons into communication with said belt means; and

,

h) a first spring means for biasing said partition against said spoons.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said pair of sides are the longer sides of said generally rectangular shaped enclosure.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said access door is formed by one of the longer sides of said enclosure.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a latch means on said door.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising said door having a mating latch means on one of said end walls, said door being secured by said latch means.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a cover on said aperture on said top.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said cover is slidable, said cover being mounted in said top.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a second spring means for slidably moving said cover along the longitudinal axis of said top, said spoons being removable from said enclosure through said aperture in said top.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising said spoons positioned in said container in a side by side relation, said spoons positioned with the ladles of said spoons positioned inside each succeeding spoon ladle, said spoons being efficiently positioned inside said enclosure.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising said partition being slidably movable, said partition being effectively the same size as said end wall.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising said first spring means mounted on a first of said end walls, said partition positioned between said first spring means and said spoons and a second of said end walls, said belt means positioned between said spoons and said second end wall, said partition urging said spoons toward said belt means.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising said belt means being rotatably mounted, said belt being a continuous loop for ejecting spoons from said enclosure, wherein the plane of said belt surface travels parallel to the plane of the surface of said end wall.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising said belt rotatably mounted on rollers, said rollers mounted on said side wall, said rollers mounted perpendicular to said side wall, said belt having means for engaging said spoons for ejecting spoons from said enclosure.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, said means for engaging said spoons further comprising a plurality of hook-like members, said hook-like members positioned on the external surface of said belt, said hook-like member engaging the tips of said spoons, said spoons being ejected from said enclosure by said belt as said belt is rotated.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, said hook-like members further comprising a shoulder member for removable engagement to said spoons, said belt being rotatable in response to said spoon being engaged to said shoulder member, said belt rotably responsive to said spoon being pulled from and removed from said enclosure by the hand of the user, said succeeding spoon being partially removed from said enclosure as said belt is rotated.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a member for holding thereon a plurality of said apparatuses, said member for holding having means for mounting onto a proximate object for accessing said apparatuses.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising an upright standing container for holding a plurality of said spoons, said container having a track therein said track holding a plurality of spoons therein, having spring means for upwardlly advancing said spoons in said track.