DISPENSER FOR DISPOSABLE CUTLERY AND COMPONENTS THEREFOR

• US 20120080444A1
• Filed: 12/13/2011
• Published: 04/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GPCP IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Dixie Consumer Products LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Smith, Patrick J., Kirkpatrick, Andy L., Kilgore, Michael R., Honan, David G.
• Granted Patent: US 10,010,195 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 221/208
• 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 configuration of disposable cutlery comprises a plurality of disposable cutlery pieces suitable for loading in a disposable cutlery dispenser, wherein the plurality is not constrained by a cartridge when loaded into the cutlery dispenser, wherein the plurality is in a substantially unfanned orientation after loading of the plurality into a cutlery dispenser, and wherein each piece comprises a solid handle.

Claims

1. A configuration of disposable cutlery comprising:

a plurality of disposable cutlery pieces suitable for loading in a disposable cutlery dispenser, wherein the plurality is not constrained by a cartridge when loaded into the cutlery dispenser, and wherein the plurality is in a substantially unfanned orientation after loading of the plurality into a cutlery dispenser, wherein each piece comprises a solid handle.

2. The configuration of claim 1, wherein the plurality is constrained by a band prior to loading into the cutlery dispenser.

3. The configuration of claim 2, wherein the band comprises paperboard and a flexible polymeric material.

4. The configuration of claim 1, wherein each piece comprises a food contact portion and a handle having an upper side and a lower side, and wherein the lower side of the piece comprises a raised portion at an end portion.

5. The configuration of claim 1, wherein each piece comprises a food contact portion and a handle having an upper side and a lower side, and wherein the upper side of the piece is substantially smooth, thereby providing a plurality that exhibits reduced interlocking when loaded in the cutlery dispenser.

6. The configuration of claim 1, wherein each piece comprises a food contact portion and a handle having an upper side and a lower side, and wherein the upper side of the piece is substantially smooth, thereby providing a plurality that exhibits reduced interlocking when loaded in the cutlery dispenser.

7. A disposable cutlery piece comprising:

a) a food contact portion;

b) a handle having an upper side and a lower side and a handle end portion, wherein the lower side of the handle end portion comprises a protuberance suitable to provide a plurality of at least 10 cutlery pieces in a substantially unfanned orientation, and where the handle upper side is substantially smooth.

8. A dispenser for disposable cutlery, comprising:

a housing;

at least one banded stack of disposable cutlery disposed in the housing, the banded stack comprising;

a plurality of disposable cutlery pieces disposed adjacent one another to provide a stack of the cutlery pieces; and

at least one band disposed about the stack, the band having a tearable portion disposed therein.

9. The dispenser of claim 8, wherein the housing has a vertically oriented opening to allow user access to the stack of cutlery disposed therein.

10. The dispenser of claim 8, wherein the housing has at least one door configured to allow access to the banded stack.

11. The dispenser of claim 8, wherein the housing has a top configured to load the banded stack therein.

12. The dispenser of claim 8, wherein the housing has at least one handle disposed thereon, wherein the handle is configured to release the cutlery from the housing.

13. The dispenser of claim 8, wherein the housing is vertically oriented.

14. The dispenser of claim 8, wherein the housing comprises a dispensing portion disposed on a lower portion thereof, and the banded stack is loaded within the housing at an upper portion thereof.

15. The dispenser of claim 8, wherein the band is configured to allow the band to be removed from the stack of disposable cutlery in the housing without substantially disturbing the alignment of the other stacked utensils in the dispenser.

16. A dispenser for disposable cutlery, comprising:

a housing;

at least one banded stack of disposable cutlery disposed in the housing, the banded stack comprising;

a plurality of disposable cutlery pieces disposed adjacent one another

to provide a stack of the cutlery pieces; and

at least one band disposed about the stack, the band having at least one perforated portion disposed therein.

17. The dispenser of claim 16, wherein the housing has a vertically oriented opening to allow user access to the stack of cutlery disposed therein.

18. The dispenser of claim 16, wherein the housing has at least one handle disposed thereon, wherein the handle is configured to release the cutlery from the housing.

19. The dispenser of claim 16, wherein the housing comprises a dispensing portion disposed on a lower portion thereof, and the banded stack is loaded within the housing at an upper portion thereof.

20. The dispenser of claim 16, wherein the band is configured to allow the band to be removed from the stack of disposable cutlery in the housing without substantially disturbing the alignment of the other stacked utensils in the dispenser.