Cutlery dispenser

• US 9,439,518 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2011
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GPCP IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Dixie Consumer Products LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Oakes, Shawn A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawford, Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): Randall, Jr., Kelvin L
• Application Number:
  US13/213,632
• Publication Number:
  US 20130043272A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,852 Days
• Field of Search: 221/191, 221/193, 221/208, 221/251, 221/255, 221/279
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/125 with an article-pushing device
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 2001/103 for cutlery

Abstract

A cutlery dispenser comprising a front cover, a housing, and a pushing assembly. The front cover further includes an opening and at least stop. The at least one stop is configured to cause a utensil, such as a knife, fork, spork, or spoon, to fan through the opening for retrieval by a user. The pushing assembly urges the utensils forward in the dispenser toward the stop and toward the opening.

Claims

1. A cutlery dispenser, comprising:

(a) a housing comprising a pushing assembly comprising at least one biasing mechanism and a support member coupled to the at least one biasing mechanism, wherein the at least one biasing mechanism urges the support member toward a front of the dispenser; and

(b) a front cover coupled to the housing, the front cover comprising;

(i) a front surface comprising an opening;

(ii) a rear surface comprising the opening;

(iii) a trough;

(iv) a first protruding member extending a distance Z1 from the rear surface; and

(v) a second protruding member extending a distance Z2 from the rear surface or a base of the trough;

wherein distance Z1 and distance Z2 are different distances such that the first protruding member and second protruding member are configured to interact with a portion of a plurality of utensils housed within the trough to cause the plurality of utensils to pivotably rotate through the opening when a force is applied to the plurality of utensils by the support member such that a number of the plurality of utensils fan through the opening with at least one end in a spaced apart relationship.

2. The cutlery dispenser of claim 1, wherein the second protruding member extends from the rear surface of the front cover.

3. The cutlery dispenser of claim 1, wherein the second protruding member extends from the trough.

4. The cutlery dispenser of claim 1, wherein the front cover is slidably coupled to the housing.

5. The cutlery dispenser of claim 1, wherein the front cover is removably coupled to the housing.

6. The cutlery dispenser of claim 1, wherein at least one of the trough, the first protruding member and the second protruding member is integrally formed with the front cover.

7. The cutlery dispenser of claim 1, wherein the trough is capable of housing a plurality of utensils.

8. The cutlery dispenser of claim 7, wherein the trough is configured to house a fork, a spoon, a knife, a spork, or any combination thereof.

9. The cutlery dispenser of claim 1, wherein the shape of the opening at least partially corresponds to a shape of at least a portion of a utensil.

10. The cutlery dispenser of claim 1, wherein the biasing mechanism is comprised of at least one of a spring or a rubber band.

11. The cutlery dispenser of claim 1, wherein the support member comprises a contact surface that at least partially corresponds in shape to a shape of at least a portion of a utensil.

12. The cutlery dispenser of claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a utensil guide for maintaining an orientation of a utensil.

13. The cutlery dispenser of claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a trough guide for aligning the trough with the housing.

14. The cutlery dispenser of claim 13, wherein the trough comprises at least one protrusion for interaction with the trough guide.

29. The cutlery dispenser of claim 1, wherein the rotation of the utensil plurality of utensils through the opening causes the plurality of utensils to separate from each other.

15. A cutlery dispenser, comprising:

(a) a housing comprising;

(i) at least one track; and

(ii) a pushing assembly comprising at least one biasing mechanism and a support member coupled to the at least one biasing mechanism and slidably engaged with the at least one track, wherein the at least one biasing mechanism urges the support member toward a front of the dispenser; and

(b) a front cover coupled to the housing, the front cover comprising;

(i) a front surface comprising an opening;

(ii) a rear surface comprising the opening; and

(iii) a first protruding member extending a distance Z1 from the rear surface; and

(c) a second protruding member extending a distance Z2 from the rear surface or the housing;

wherein distance Z1 and distance Z2 are different distances such that the first protruding member and second protruding member are configured to interact with a portion of a plurality of utensils housed within the housing to cause the plurality of utensils to pivotably rotate through the opening when a force is applied to the plurality of utensils by the support member such that a number of the plurality of utensils fan through the opening with at least one end in a spaced apart relationship.

16. The cutlery dispenser of claim 15, wherein the second protruding member extends from the rear surface of the front cover.

17. The cutlery dispenser of claim 15, wherein the second protruding member extends from the housing.

18. The cutlery dispenser of claim 15, wherein the front cover is slidably coupled to the housing.

19. The cutlery dispenser of claim 15, wherein the support member comprises a contact surface that at least partially corresponds in shape to a shape of a utensil.

20. The cutlery dispenser of claim 15, wherein the housing further comprises a utensil guide for maintaining an orientation of a utensil.

30. The cutlery dispenser of claim 15, wherein the rotation of the plurality of utensils through the opening causes the plurality of utensils to separate from each other.

21. A cutlery dispenser comprising:

(a) a housing comprising;

(i) at least one track; and

(ii) a pushing assembly comprising at least one biasing mechanism and a support member coupled to the at least one biasing mechanism and slidably engaged with the at least one track, wherein the at least one biasing mechanism urges the support member toward a front of the dispenser; and

(b) a front cover coupled to the housing, the front cover comprising;

(i) a front surface comprising an opening;

(ii) a rear surface comprising the opening;

(iii) a trough;

(iv) a first protruding member extending a distance Z1 from the rear surface; and

(v) a second protruding member extending a distance Z2 from the rear surface or a base of the trough;

distance Z1 and distance Z2 are different distances such that the first protruding member and second protruding member are configured to interact with a portion of a plurality of utensils housed within the trough to cause the plurality of utensils to pivotably rotate through the opening when a force is applied to the plurality of utensils by the support member such that a number of the plurality of utensils fan through the opening with at least one end in a spaced apart relationship.

22. The cutlery dispenser of claim 21, wherein the second protruding member extends from the rear surface of the front cover.

23. The cutlery dispenser of claim 21, wherein at least one of the second protruding member extends from the trough.

24. The cutlery dispenser of claim 21, wherein at least one of the trough, the first protruding member and the second protruding member is integrally formed with the front cover.

25. The cutlery dispenser of claim 21, wherein the at least one track comprises at least one leg that interacts with at least one arm of the support member.

26. The cutlery dispenser of claim 21, wherein the housing further comprises a utensil guide for maintaining an orientation of a utensil.

27. The cutlery dispenser of claim 21, wherein the housing further comprises a trough guide for aligning the trough with the housing.

28. The cutlery dispenser of claim 27, wherein the trough comprises at least one protrusion for interacting with the trough guide.

31. The cutlery dispenser of claim 21, wherein the rotation of the plurality of utensils through the opening causes the plurality of utensils to separate from an each other.