Utensil dispenser
A utensil dispenser including a reservoir that stores utensils and front and rear pedestals in contact with a next utensil. The pedestals contain a plurality of utensils within the reservoir. A gravity feed ramp moves the next utensil to an access port of the utensil dispenser. The utensil dispenser includes an actuator operably connected to a drive pin or other drive mechanism. The actuator is configured to halt a dispensing utensil at a ready position based upon contact between the dispensing utensil and the actuator. In the ready position, a handle portion of the dispensing utensil is accessible via the access port. The drive mechanism is configured to contact the next utensil. The actuator is configured to move the drive mechanism to move the next utensil to clear the front pedestal to release the next utensil from the reservoir onto the gravity feed ramp when the dispensing utensil is dispensed.
1. A utensil dispenser comprising:
a reservoir configured to store a plurality of utensils;
a rear pedestal configured to contact a rear portion of a next utensil to be dispensed of the plurality of utensils;
a front pedestal configured to contact one or more detents in the next utensil, wherein the front pedestal and the rear pedestal are configured to contain the plurality of utensils within the reservoir;
a gravity feed ramp configured to move the next utensil to an access port of the utensil dispenser;
an actuator operably connected to a drive mechanism, the actuator configured to halt a dispensing utensil at a ready position based upon contact between the dispensing utensil and the actuator such that, in the ready position, a handle portion of the dispensing utensil is accessible via the access port;
wherein the drive mechanism is configured to contact the next utensil, and wherein the actuator is further configured to move the drive mechanism into a release position such that the drive mechanism contacts the next utensil to push the next utensil to clear the front pedestal to release the next utensil from the reservoir onto the gravity feed ramp when the dispensing utensil is dispensed.
2. The utensil dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the drive mechanism comprises a drive pin.
3. The utensil dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the drive mechanism comprises a drive hammer.
4. The utensil dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the drive mechanism is further configured to move the next utensil to clear the rear pedestal to release the next utensil from the reservoir onto the gravity feed ramp when the dispensing utensil is dispensed.
5. The utensil dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the drive mechanism includes the rear pedestal.
6. The utensil dispenser of claim 5 , wherein the actuator is further configured to return to a home position to clear the next utensil from the rear pedestal.
7. The utensil dispenser of claim 1 , further comprising a manual activation button configured to move the drive mechanism into the release position when activated.
8. A utensil comprising:
a utensil body having a utensil body front portion and a utensil body rear portion;
a winged portion operatively connected to the utensil body front portion, the winged portion configured to rest on a front pedestal of a utensil dispenser when the utensil is stored in a reservoir of the utensil dispenser; and
a tail portion operatively connected to the utensil body rear portion, the tail portion configured to:
rest on a rear pedestal of the utensil dispenser when the utensil is stored in the reservoir of the utensil dispenser, the utensil remaining within the reservoir when the winged portion is resting on the front pedestal and the tail portion rests on the rear pedestal; and
contact a drive mechanism of the utensil dispenser, the drive mechanism configured to selectively push the utensil via the tail portion such that the winged portion clears the front pedestal and the tail portion clears the rear pedestal, permitting the utensil to fall from the reservoir.
9. The utensil of claim 8 , wherein the drive mechanism comprises a drive pin.
10. The utensil of claim 8 , wherein the drive mechanism comprises a drive hammer.
11. The utensil of claim 8 , wherein the drive mechanism moves the utensil to clear the rear pedestal to release the utensil from the reservoir onto a gravity feed ramp when a dispensing utensil is dispensed.
12. The utensil of claim 8 , wherein the drive mechanism includes the rear pedestal.
13. The utensil of claim 12 , wherein the utensil is configured to clear the rear pedestal based upon an actuator returning to a home position.
14. A method comprising:
removing a utensil from a utensil dispenser;
moving an actuation component based upon the utensil being removed, wherein the utensil is in contact with the actuation component while being removed;
engaging a drive mechanism based upon the moving of the actuation component;
freeing a next utensil from a reservoir onto a gravity feed ramp based upon the drive mechanism, wherein the drive mechanism pushes the next utensil to free the next utensil; and
halting the next utensil on the gravity feed ramp such that a tail portion of the utensil extrudes from the utensil dispenser.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the drive mechanism comprises a drive pin.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the drive mechanism comprises a drive hammer.
17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the drive mechanism moves the utensil to clear the rear pedestal to release the utensil from the reservoir onto the gravity feed ramp when the dispensing utensil is dispensed.
18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the drive mechanism includes the rear pedestal.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the utensil is configured to clear the rear pedestal based upon an actuator returning to a home position.