Automated hygienic cutlery dispenser
First Claim
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1. A hygienic cutlery dispenser, comprising:
- a. A storage chute for containing a plurality of stacked cutlery, the cutlery having a food-contacting end and a non-food contacting end;
b. A dispensing port;
c. An electric motor;
d. A dispensing mechanism wherein said dispensing mechanism further comprises an upper plate, a middle plate, and a lower plate;
e. the upper plate having a plurality of supporting pads and a slotted track;
f. the middle plate having a plurality of track pins and said middle plate connected to said electric motor by an actuator and a motor lever plate;
g. the lower plate having a slotted track and a plurality of dispensing teeth, wherein said dispensing teeth have a profile congruent with the non-food contacting end of said cutlery;
h. a sliding relationship between said upper and lower plates with slotted track for the said middle plate to slide therebetween via track pins on said middle plate to actuate dispensing said cutlery one-by-one hygienically without user touching the hygienic cutlery dispenser; and
i. at least one door covering said storage chute.
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Abstract
A hygienic automatic electric utensil dispenser for use in eating establishments such as hospitals, schools, or other areas where large number of people are eating food in a central area. The dispenser can be refilled using prepackaged stacked plastic utensil in a self-sealing plastic bags without the user ever touching the utensil during the refilling process. The dispenser delivers the utensil in a sanitary method using a plurality of sensors.
28 Citations
9 Claims
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1. A hygienic cutlery dispenser, comprising:
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a. A storage chute for containing a plurality of stacked cutlery, the cutlery having a food-contacting end and a non-food contacting end; b. A dispensing port; c. An electric motor; d. A dispensing mechanism wherein said dispensing mechanism further comprises an upper plate, a middle plate, and a lower plate; e. the upper plate having a plurality of supporting pads and a slotted track; f. the middle plate having a plurality of track pins and said middle plate connected to said electric motor by an actuator and a motor lever plate; g. the lower plate having a slotted track and a plurality of dispensing teeth, wherein said dispensing teeth have a profile congruent with the non-food contacting end of said cutlery; h. a sliding relationship between said upper and lower plates with slotted track for the said middle plate to slide therebetween via track pins on said middle plate to actuate dispensing said cutlery one-by-one hygienically without user touching the hygienic cutlery dispenser; and i. at least one door covering said storage chute. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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Specification