Cutlery utensil dispenser

• US 6,336,568 B1
• Filed: 03/15/2000
• Issued: 01/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kleenpak Systems, LLC
• Original Assignee: Kleenpak Systems, LLC
• Inventors: Tucker, Robert, Tucker, Terence
• Primary Examiner(s): Noland, Kenneth W.
• Application Number:
  US09/525,815
• Time in Patent Office: 664 Days
• Field of Search: 221/197, 221/92, 221/131, 221/123, 221/132, 221/196, 221/277, 221/266, 221/265, 221/282, 206/553, 312/42
• US Class Current: 221/131
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/10 having mechanical dispensing means , e.g. with buttons or handles
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 2001/103 for cutlery

Abstract

A cutlery utensil dispenser for dispensing cutlery utensils one at a time upon hand operation of an externally accessible utensil delivery controller. The dispenser includes a housing having at least one interior compartment in communication with an exit opening. At least partially accommodateable within the interior compartment is a stack of utensils within a cartridge capable of universally accommodating knives or forks or spoons and provided with a portal through which a single utensil can pass and wherein a dispensable utensil is situated. The portal is situated in a pathway aligned with the exit opening. Finally, the utensil delivery controller is an externally accessible hand operable ejector engageable with the dispensable utensil and situated for ejecting the dispensable utensil from the portal of the cartridge and thereafter through the pathway to the exit opening for ultimate user retrieval. The utensil dispenser accomplishes maintenance of cleanliness of all utensils without individual wrap while delivering clean utensils one at a time to respective individual users.

Claims

1. A cutlery utensil dispenser for dispensing cutlery utensils one at a time upon hand operation of an externally accessible utensil delivery controller, the dispenser comprising:

a) a housing having an interior compartment in communication with an exit opening;

b) a cartridge and a stack of utensils within said cartridge, said cartridge at least partially accommodateable within the interior compartment of the housing and provided with a single portal through which a single utensil can pass and wherein a dispensable utensil is situated within said portal, said portal situated in a pathway aligned with said exit opening; and

c) an externally accessible hand operable ejector operable without an activation step and engageable through grasp and release action with said dispensable utensil for ejecting the dispensable utensil from the portal through said pathway to the exit opening.

2. A cutlery utensil dispenser as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cartridge is sized to universally accommodate knives, spoons, and forks.

3. A cutlery utensil dispenser as claimed in claim 1 wherein the interior compartment of the housing accommodates the entire cartridge.

4. A cutlery utensil dispenser as claimed in claim 3 wherein the interior compartment of the housing is accessible through a closable door.

5. A cutlery utensil dispenser as claimed in claim 1 wherein the ejector comprises a rotatable roller with at least one protruding ledge wherein upon rotation of the roller the at least one protruding ledge engages the dispensable utensil for ejecting said utensil from the portal to the exit opening.

6. A cutlery utensil dispenser as claimed in claim 1 wherein the ejector comprises a lever having an internally protruding distal end wherein upon pivotal movement of the lever the protruding distal end engages the dispensable utensil for ejecting said utensil from the portal to the exit opening.

7. A cutlery utensil dispenser for dispensing cutlery utensils one at a time upon hand operation of an externally accessible utensil delivery controller, the dispenser comprising:

a) a housing having a plurality of interior compartments each in communication with a respective exit opening;

b) a plurality of cartridges and a stack of utensils within each said cartridge, with each said cartridge at least partially accommodateable within a respective interior compartment of the housing and provided with a respective single portal through which a single utensil can pass and wherein a dispensable utensil is situated within said respective portal, with each of said respective portals situated in a respective pathway aligned with said respective exit opening; and

c) a respective externally accessible hand operable ejector operable without an activation step and associated with each respective interior compartment and engageable through grasp and release action with each respective dispensable utensil for ejecting the respective dispensable utensil from the respective portal through said respective pathway to the respective exit opening.

8. A cutlery utensil dispenser as claimed in claim 7 wherein the cartridge is sized to accommodate knives, spoons, and forks.

9. A cutlery utensil dispenser as claimed in claim 7 wherein each respective ejector comprises a respective lever having a respective internally protruding distal end wherein upon pivotal movement of said lever the respective protruding distal end engages the respective dispensable utensil for ejecting said utensil from the respective portal to the respective exit opening.

10. A cutlery utensil dispenser as claimed in claim 7 wherein the housing is mounted to a rotatable base.

11. A cutlery utensil dispenser for dispensing cutlery utensils one at a time upon hand operation of an externally accessible utensil delivery controller, the dispenser comprising:

a) a housing having at least one interior compartment in communication with an exit opening and capable of accommodating at least a portion of a cartridge housing a stack of utensils, said cartridge provided with a single portal through which a single utensil can pass and wherein a dispensable utensil can be situated, with said portal situated in a pathway aligned with said exit opening; and

b) an externally accessible hand operable ejector operable without an activation step and engageable through grasp and release action with said dispensable utensil when situated within the portal of the cartridge for ejecting said dispensable utensil from the portal through said pathway to the exit opening.

12. A cutlery utensil dispenser as claimed in claim 11 wherein the ejector comprises a lever having an internally protruding distal end wherein upon pivotal movement of said lever the protruding distal end engages the dispensable utensil for ejecting said utensil from the portal to the exit opening.

13. A cutlery utensil dispenser as claimed in claim 11 wherein the housing is mounted to a rotatable base.