Automated hygienic cutlery dispenser
AssigneeGadsden Coffee Company, Inc. dba/ Max Packaging Company
InventorsGreg Snyder, Gary McFarland, Rhys McFarland, Rickey Burns, Dennis Ashley
Life of this patent
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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.
Claims18
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;
- wherein said upper plate having a plurality of pressure pads, said middle plate having a plurality of grooves and said middle plate connected to said electric motor equipped with an actuator and lever, said lower plate having a plurality of dispensing teeth;
- said upper plate slotted having a track for the said middle plate to slide therewith to actuate dispensing said cutlery hygienically;
- and
- e. at least one door covering said chute;
A method for loading a hygienic cutlery dispenser, comprising:
- a. Opening a door of a hygienic cutlery dispenser;
- b. Loading the cutlery dispenser with cutlery stack still in its sealed packaging without a user touching said cutlery in its sealed packaging;
- c. Removing said sealed packaging from the cutlery stack once the cutlery stack has been properly loaded in the hygienic cutlery dispenser by pulling the packaging toward the top-loading door.
- d. Repeating steps a-c until the cutlery dispenser is fully refilled;
- and
- e. Closing the door.
A dispensing mechanism for dispensing cutlery, comprising:
- a. an upper plate, a middle plate, and a lower plate;
- wherein said upper plate having a plurality of pressure pads, said middle plate having a plurality of grooves and said middle plate connected to said electric motor equipped with an actuator and lever, said lower plate having a plurality of dispensing teeth;
- said upper plate slotted having a track for the said middle plate to slide therewith to actuate dispensing said cutlery hygienically.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.