Cutlery dispenser

Abstract

A plastic cutlery dispenser having a base and a cartridge is described. The cartridge may be slideable relative to the base. In some embodiments, the base has a base dispensing mechanism and the cartridge has a cartridge dispensing mechanism configured to mate with the base dispensing mechanism. In some embodiments, when the base and cartridge dispensing mechanisms mate, the cutlery dispenser is configured to dispense cutlery located within the cartridge one piece of cutlery at a time.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cutlery dispenser comprising:
 a base comprising a base bottom configured to rest on a surface, a base top opposite the base bottom, and a base height extending from the base bottom to the base top;   a cartridge attached to the base and comprising a cartridge bottom, a cartridge top, a cartridge height extending from the cartridge bottom to the cartridge top, and a chamber;   a stack of cutlery pieces located in the cartridge chamber, each cutlery piece having an eating portion comprising an eating portion tip, a handle comprising a handle tip and a cutlery piece length extending from the eating portion tip to the handle tip, the cutlery piece length generally perpendicular to the cartridge height, the stack of cutlery pieces comprising a top comprising a top cutlery piece, a bottom comprising a bottom cutlery piece and a stack height extending from the top cutlery piece to the bottom cutlery piece and generally parallel to the cartridge height;   a system dispensing mechanism configured to move between a resting position in which the cutlery stack is stationary within the cartridge chamber to a dispensing position in which the system dispensing mechanism ejects at least a portion of a piece of cutlery out of the cartridge chamber, the system dispensing mechanism comprising a base dispensing mechanism forming a portion of the base and a cartridge dispensing mechanism located in the cartridge chamber, the base dispensing mechanism removably engaged with the cartridge dispensing mechanism; and   an actuator configured to move the system dispensing mechanism from the resting position to the dispensing position.   
     
     
         2 . The cutlery dispenser of  claim 1  further comprising a dispenser lock, the dispenser lock having a dispenser locked position preventing the system dispensing mechanism from moving between the resting position and the dispensing position and a dispenser unlocked position in which the system dispensing mechanism is permitted to move between the resting position and the dispensing position, wherein engaging the base dispensing mechanism with the cartridge dispensing mechanism is configured to move the dispenser lock from the dispenser locked position to the dispenser unlocked position and further wherein disengaging the base dispensing mechanism from the cartridge dispensing mechanism is configured to move the dispenser lock from the dispenser unlocked position to the dispenser locked position. 
     
     
         3 . The cutlery dispenser of  claim 2 , wherein the cartridge chamber comprises a wall comprising a wall tab and the cartridge dispensing mechanism further comprises a cartridge dispensing mechanism tab, the wall tab and the cartridge dispensing mechanism tab forming the lock and further wherein the wall tab and the cartridge dispensing mechanism tab are engaged when the dispenser lock is in the dispenser locked position and further wherein the wall tab and the cartridge dispensing mechanism tab are disengaged when the dispenser lock is in the dispenser unlocked position. 
     
     
         4 . The cutlery dispenser of  claim 3 , wherein the cartridge chamber comprises a spring configured to press the cartridge dispensing mechanism tab against the wall tab when the cartridge dispensing mechanism is not engaged with the base dispensing mechanism. 
     
     
         5 . The cutlery dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the system dispensing mechanism comprises a base cam shaft attached to the base and a cartridge cam shaft attached to the cartridge, the base cam shaft forming the base dispensing mechanism and the cartridge cam shaft forming the cartridge dispensing mechanism. 
     
     
         6 . The dispenser of  claim 1  wherein the base comprises a track and the cartridge comprises a flange configured to mate with the track and further wherein the cartridge is configured to slide along the track. 
     
     
         7 . The cutlery dispenser of  claim 1  wherein the system dispensing mechanism and the actuator pivot in the same direction and generally perpendicular to the cartridge height when the system dispensing mechanism moves from the resting position to the dispensing position. 
     
     
         8 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the cartridge dispensing mechanism, in the resting position, comprises a top surface, the bottom cutlery piece resting on the top surface. 
     
     
         9 . The dispenser of  claim 1  wherein the cartridge further comprises a ramp configured to receive the piece of cutlery from a chute and move the piece of cutlery toward a user. 
     
     
         10 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the cartridge is generally rectangular in shape and comprises a cartridge left side, a cartridge right side, a cartridge width extending from the cartridge left side to the cartridge right side, a cartridge front side, a cartridge rear side, a cartridge length extending from the cartridge front side to the cartridge rear side, wherein the base is generally rectangular in shape and comprises a base left side, a base right side, a base width extending from the base left side to the base right side, a base front side, a base rear side, a base length extending from the base front side to the base rear and further wherein the system dispensing mechanism is configured to move the bottom piece of cutlery into a chute in a direction generally perpendicular to the cutlery piece length and further wherein the cartridge further comprises a ramp configured to receive the piece of cutlery from the chute and move the piece of cutlery forwardly toward a user. 
     
     
         11 . The dispenser of  claim 10  wherein the ramp further comprises a top and a bottom and further wherein the handle tip of the cutlery is configured to be the first part to reach the ramp bottom. 
     
     
         12 . A cutlery dispenser comprising:
 a base comprising a base bottom configured to rest on a surface, a base top opposite the base bottom, a base height extending from the base bottom to the base top, and a base upper surface   a cartridge comprising a cartridge bottom, a cartridge top, a cartridge height extending from the cartridge bottom to the cartridge top, and a chamber;   a stack of cutlery pieces located in the cartridge chamber, each cutlery piece having an eating portion comprising an eating portion tip, a handle comprising a handle tip and a cutlery piece length extending from the eating portion tip to the handle tip, the cutlery piece length generally perpendicular to the cartridge height, the stack of cutlery pieces comprising a top comprising a top cutlery piece, a bottom comprising a bottom cutlery piece and a stack height extending from the top cutlery piece to the bottom cutlery piece and generally parallel to the cartridge height and   a system dispensing mechanism configured to move between a resting position in which the cutlery stack is stationary within the cartridge chamber to a dispensing position in which the system dispensing mechanism ejects at least a portion of a piece of cutlery out of the cartridge chamber,   
       wherein the cartridge comprises a cartridge locked position in which the cartridge is fixed to the base and a cartridge unlocked position in which the cartridge is configured to disengage from the base and in which the cartridge bottom is configured to confront and slide along the base upper surface. 
     
     
         13 . The cutlery dispenser of  claim 12  wherein the base upper surface and the cartridge bottom are generally flat. 
     
     
         14 . The cutlery dispenser of  claim 12  wherein the base further comprises a track and wherein the cartridge further comprises a flange configured to mate with the track and further wherein the flange is configured to slide along the track in the cartridge unlocked position. 
     
     
         15 . The cutlery dispenser of  claim 14  wherein the track is adjacent to the base upper surface and the flange is adjacent to the cartridge bottom. 
     
     
         16 . The cutlery dispenser of  claim 14  further comprises a base front, a base back, and a base length extending from the base front to the base back, and wherein the base further comprises two opposing base grooves extending along the base length, the two opposing base grooves forming the track. 
     
     
         17 . The cutlery dispenser of  claim 16 , wherein the base bottom is generally rectangular in shape, wherein the base comprises a first side wall comprising one of the base grooves and the base comprises a second side wall opposite the first side wall and comprising the other base groove. 
     
     
         18 . The cutlery dispenser of  claim 17  wherein the first side wall and the second side wall border the base upper surface. 
     
     
         19 . The cutlery dispenser of  claim 14  wherein the cutlery dispenser further comprises a removable stop, the removable stop configured to prevent the flange from sliding along the track length. 
     
     
         20 . The cutlery dispenser of  claim 12  wherein the cutlery dispenser further comprises an actuator configured to move the system dispensing mechanism from the resting position to the dispensing position. 
     
     
         21 . The cutlery dispenser of  claim 12  further comprising a dispenser lock, the dispenser lock having a dispenser locked position preventing the system dispensing mechanism from moving between the resting position and the dispensing position and a dispenser unlocked position in which the system dispensing mechanism is permitted to move between the resting position and the dispensing position. 
     
     
         22 . The cutlery dispenser of  claim 21  wherein the dispenser lock is in the dispenser unlocked position when the cartridge is in the cartridge locked position and wherein the dispenser lock is in the dispenser locked position when the cartridge is in the cartridge unlocked position. 
     
     
         23 . The cutlery dispenser of  claim 21  wherein the system dispensing mechanism comprises a base dispensing mechanism forming a portion of the base and a cartridge dispensing mechanism located in the cartridge chamber, the base dispensing mechanism removably engaged with the cartridge dispensing mechanism when the cartridge is in the cartridge locked position. 
     
     
         24 . The cutlery dispenser of  claim 23  wherein engaging the base dispensing mechanism with the cartridge dispensing mechanism is configured to move the dispenser lock from the dispenser locked position to the dispenser unlocked position and further wherein disengaging the base dispensing mechanism from the cartridge dispensing mechanism is configured to move the dispenser lock from the dispenser unlocked position to the dispenser locked position. 
     
     
         25 . The cutlery dispenser of  claim 23  wherein the cartridge chamber comprises a wall comprising a wall tab and the cartridge dispensing mechanism further comprises a cartridge dispensing mechanism tab, the wall tab and the cartridge dispensing mechanism tab forming the dispenser lock and further wherein the wall tab and the cartridge dispensing mechanism tab are engaged when the dispenser lock is in the dispenser locked position and further wherein the wall tab and the cartridge dispensing mechanism tab are disengaged when the dispenser lock is in the dispenser unlocked position. 
     
     
         26 . The cutlery dispenser of  claim 25  wherein the cartridge chamber comprises a spring configured to press the cartridge dispensing mechanism tab against the wall tab when the cartridge dispensing mechanism is not engaged with the base dispensing mechanism. 
     
     
         27 . The cutlery dispenser of  claim 23  wherein the system dispensing mechanism comprises a base cam shaft attached to the base and a cartridge cam shaft attached to the cartridge, the base cam shaft forming the base dispensing mechanism and the cartridge cam shaft forming the cartridge dispensing mechanism. 
     
     
         28 . A cutlery dispenser comprising:
 a base comprising a base bottom configured to rest on a surface, a base top opposite the base bottom, and a base height extending from the base bottom to the base top;   a cartridge comprising a cartridge bottom, a cartridge top, a cartridge height extending from the cartridge bottom to the cartridge top, and a chamber;   a stack of cutlery pieces located in the cartridge chamber, each cutlery piece having a eating portion comprising an eating portion tip, a handle comprising a handle tip and a cutlery piece length extending from the eating portion tip to the handle tip, the cutlery piece length generally perpendicular to the cartridge height, the stack of cutlery pieces comprising a top comprising a top cutlery piece, a bottom comprising a bottom cutlery piece and a stack height extending from the top cutlery piece to the bottom cutlery piece and generally parallel to the cartridge height and   a system dispensing mechanism configured to move between a resting position in which the cutlery stack is stationary within the cartridge chamber to a dispensing position in which the system dispensing mechanism ejects at least a portion of a piece of cutlery out of the cartridge chamber,   
       wherein the cartridge is configured to slide relative to the base from a first position to a second position. 
     
     
         29 . The cutlery dispenser of  claim 28  further comprising a dispenser lock, the dispenser lock having a dispenser locked position preventing the system dispensing mechanism from moving between the resting position and the dispensing position and a dispenser unlocked position in which the system dispensing mechanism is permitted to move between the resting position and the dispensing position. 
     
     
         30 - 40 . (canceled)