Patent Description:
Many food service providers, such as restaurants and cafeterias, provide cutlery and related items to be utilized by patrons for consuming food. Typically, when food is served in a "buffet" style, the required cutlery is presented either directly on the buffet table or set up on a side table in appropriate containers, dispensers, or caddies, from which each of the consumers can select the cutlery items they need according to their preferences and/or individual food choices. Similarly, when consumers order food at a quick-service restaurant, the cutlery items and other condiments are generally set-up for self-service and retrieved by a consumer from a bin or a dispenser. The cutlery may be permanent ware or disposable. One of the advantages of having cutlery available for self-service is the reduced workload imposed on the restaurant or catering staff. Having the cutlery items available for self-service, allows the restaurant employees to focus on filling food orders, while diverting only a small amount of their time to periodically refilling the cutlery bins or dispensers when they run low.

One simple approach to self-service cutlery distribution is to provide open containers or canisters in which common supplies of cutlery are placed for easy selection and grasping by a user. This approach has the advantages of being inexpensive, requiring virtually no maintenance, and enabling employees to easily see from a distance whether or not the containers need to be replenished. However, this approach tends to be unsanitary, because it can be quite difficult for a consumer to grasp and remove a single item of cutlery without touching other cutlery items that remain afterward for others to select and use. Thus, the process of retrieving cutlery from a container or bin itself creates an unsanitary condition.

Furthermore, if the cutlery items are inserted in the bins with their heads down, then a user may also have difficulty in quickly identifying which cutlery items are in which bin. On the other hand, if the cutlery items are placed in the bins with their heads exposed, it is almost impossible for a user to select a cutlery item without touching the heads of other cutlery items in the bin. As a result, a key concern of many consumers when selecting their own cutlery from a commonly available supply is sanitation. Many consumers want to be certain their cutlery is clean, sanitary, and new or freshly washed, and they wish to feel confident that the cutlery has not been previously used and has not been handled in an unsanitary manner by others. Cross-contamination on food implements due to handling and contact by multiple users may also contribute to spread of infectious diseases, and is of significant concern from a public health perspective. In addition, this "open bin" approach typically requires that a large amount of space be dedicated to the cutlery containers, such that the cutlery station has a large "footprint," which can be inconvenient.

Another approach for ensuring sanitary, self-service distribution of disposable cutlery is to provide pre-packaged cutlery items or "cutlery kits," which are typically either individual cutlery items or grouped sets of items (such as a kit comprising a fork, a spoon, a knife and a napkin) wrapped inside a plastic overwrap film or placed inside a bag. However, separately wrapping cutlery or cutlery kits adds cost and gives rise to excess waste, at least in the form of discarded overwraps. This approach is also inconvenient for the customer, who is required to remove the overwrap so as to access the cutlery. In addition, pre-wrapped cutlery kits with multiple cutlery items prevent the consumer from selecting only the needed cutlery items, and can thereby lead to wasted, unused cutlery, which further increases cost and excess waste disposal.

Another approach for self-service distribution of disposable cutlery is to provide for delivery of cutlery from a dispenser. A common type of dispenser in commercial use requires a user to press a lever or similar element to activate the dispenser and initiate delivery of a single cutlery article into a retrieval location such as a tray or compartment. Unfortunately, in practice this approach requires that the operating lever or knob is touched by each and every consumer prior to retrieving cutlery from the dispenser tray, such that these dispenser components may themselves become carriers of contamination, and can actually lead to cross-contamination between users by transferring viruses, bacteria, and/or other microorganisms from the lever, knob, or tray to consumers during the process of actuating the cutlery dispenser and retrieving the cutlery therefrom.

In addition, such dispensers typically store and dispense cutlery laterally, i.e. sideways, whereby the head and handle of the cutlery are often equidistant from the user. This "broadside" delivery of cutlery, however, can cause the user to inadvertently grasp the head rather than the handle of the cutlery, thereby contaminating the food contacting end and reducing sanitation. Furthermore, this lateral storage and dispensing approach requires that the dispenser must be somewhat wider than the length of the dispensed cutlery, causing the dispenser to consume valuable space that may be needed for other devices and supplies, such as condiments, napkins, etc. As a result, such cutlery dispensers are typically provided in a separate area and are often positioned in different locations within a crowded serving area according to available space, thereby requiring users to seek them out separately.

Other cutlery dispensing solutions include electrically actuated mechanisms that physically transport cutlery from an inaccessible storage area to a receiving area that is accessible to the user. Such electrical dispensers tend to be more intricately constructed than mechanical dispensers, and they require an electrical source, thereby restricting the installation location if an AC outlet is required, or requiring periodic replacement of batteries if batteries are required. Also, electrical dispensers tend to be bulky and prone to jamming and/or miss-feeding. An example of a dispenser in which cutlery is transported from individual hoppers to a dispensing position by an electrically-actuated mechanism is that disclosed in <CIT>. The cutlery items are held stacked one above another in the respective hoppers, and a "reciprocatory carriage" is actuated by a solenoid to eject the items in turn to a position where they can be accessed by the user.

An additional problem with prior-art dispensers is that it is difficult for restaurant or cafeteria employees to visually discern when a dispenser is in need of refilling, especially from a distance. As a result, users are often frustrated by empty dispensers, and are required to seek out restaurant staff and request that the dispensers be refilled.

What is needed, therefore, is a cutlery dispensing system and method of delivering cutlery on demand to a user that assures sanitation, has reduced footprint, is intuitive and easy for both the consumer and operator to use, is easily adapted to meet specific cutlery requirements, is inexpensive to manufacture and operate, and is easy to maintain. These and other needs as shall hereafter appear are met by the apparatus and method of the present invention.

The present invention is a gravity-fed cutlery dispensing system and method of delivering cutlery on demand to a user that inter alia assures sanitation, has a reduced footprint, and is easily adapted to meet specific cutlery requirements, while being intuitive and easy for both the consumer and operator to use, refill, and maintain, and that overcomes other shortcomings of prior art dispensers.

Recently, a gravity fed cutlery dispenser was disclosed that presents cutlery to a user "end-on" or longitudinally rather than laterally, i.e. with a narrow width facing the user and an extended depth. This longitudinal cutlery dispenser is disclosed in <CIT>. According to this approach, cutlery is presented to a user "handle-first. " While this "end-on" approach has many advantages over the lateral dispenser approach, the end-on design can exhibit some shortcomings. One issue is orientation stability, in that the narrow footprint relative to the height of the dispenser creates a tendency for the dispenser to tip over if it is bumped or jostled. While this tip-over tendency can be addressed by providing a relatively wide dispenser base or bottom, doing so negates the footprint advantage gained by utilizing an end-on dispenser. On the other hand, if the dispenser is made shorter for providing increased stability, the cutlery capacity is reduced, which necessitates frequent refilling of the dispenser.

In addition, if a group of similar end-on dispensers are positioned or affixed side-by-side, then for the dispensers in the middle of the group only the fronts and tops of the dispensers are accessible. Generally, for ease of loading, a plurality of cutlery articles are bundled in a "pack" and top-loaded into the dispenser, after which any packaging associated with the pack must be removed. Restricted access to only the top and front of the dispenser can significantly complicate refilling of the cutlery dispenser with fresh cutlery and preparing it for dispensing, for example by hampering removal of the packaging after installation of a cutlery pack. Lack of side access can also make it more difficult to maintain the dispensers and clear any debris that may fall into the dispenser, and/or to remove cutlery articles that become jammed.

Yet another issue that can be exhibited by longitudinal or end-on dispensers is a potential of mechanical failure under conditions of heavy usage. This problem can arise due to repeated flexing of a return spring, such as a leaf spring, which can lead to deformation of the spring, metal fatigue, and eventual failure of the mechanism.

Furthermore, as discussed above, and as is generally the case for most cutlery dispensers that are in current use, it can be very difficult for operational staff to easily discern the level of cutlery remaining in a dispenser, such that the dispensers must be opened and inspected frequently to ensure that users are not inconvenienced by empty dispensers.

The present invention solves these and other problems that are present in the prior art. In particular, the present invention presents a novel dispensing system that provides lateral access in embodiments to the end-on dispenser(s) for loading and maintenance purposes while maintaining a compact dispenser footprint. It should be noted that the present invention is described herein with exemplary reference to dispensing of cutlery articles such as forks, spoons, knives and sporks that are commonly used for consuming food. Nevertheless, it should be understood that the scope of the present invention is not limited only to dispensing of such cutlery, and that persons of ordinary skill can instantiate and utilize the system and method disclosed herein for dispensing other elongate objects that include a proximal handle portion for grasping and a distal head.

The dispenser system of the present invention includes at least one end-on cutlery dispenser configured to contain a generally vertical stack of identical, co-aligned cutlery articles having their longitudinal axes aligned substantially horizontally, as well as a first cutlery article that is tipped downward and maintained in a dispensing position. The dispenser system further includes a dispensing escapement mechanism that is activated automatically as the first cutlery article is withdrawn by a user.

More specifically, a handle portion of the first cutlery article protrudes from an opening in the front panel of the dispenser facing the user, so that the handle portion can be grasped by the user for removing the first cutlery article from the dispenser. As the user manually grips the handle portion and removes the first cutlery article from the dispensing position, the head portion of the first cutlery article actuates an escapement member, which causes the escapement mechanism to separate and release a "bottommost" cutlery article from the bottom of the stack, allowing the bottommost cutlery article to be gravitationally directed downward into the dispensing position along an inclined surface or track, whereby it replaces the dispensed first cutlery article.

In addition to the escapement member, the escapement mechanism includes lower and upper retaining surfaces that are interconnected by multiple pivots and a pair of durable coil springs for actuating or cycling the escapement mechanism, so as to provide consistent and reliable singulation and dispensing of cutlery articles from the stack. In embodiments, this improved escapement mechanism is much less susceptible to mechanical fatigue and deformation than traditional dispensing mechanisms, even under conditions where the cutlery dispenser is subjected to heavy usage at a busy location.

The end-on, "handle-first" construction of the disclosed dispenser system enables the housing to be only slightly wider than the width of the dispensed cutlery, thereby enabling significant space savings and other advantages over a lateral "broadside" dispenser. Certain embodiments of the present invention further provide a base unit with multiple compartments for installing and accommodating a plurality of dispensers, wherein any of the compartments can receive any of the cutlery dispensers in an interchangeable fashion. According to these embodiments, the base unit can accommodate a plurality of dispensers that are placed side-by-side, thereby presenting a stable dispenser system that is difficult to tip over, while enabling users to select their required cutlery from a single location or station within a serving area, so that a user does not need to search for multiple dispensers, and is not required to navigate through a traffic of other users as they search for dispensers that provide their desired cutlery.

In embodiments, the bottom of each dispenser is inserted endwise into a compatible slot provided in the base unit. In some of these embodiments, the bottom of each dispenser includes an engagement feature, such as a flange or protrusion that cooperates with a compatible slot in the base unit to prevent lateral tipping of the dispenser even when it is slid partway out of the base. This approach enables an operator to easily access a side panel of a dispenser, for refilling and/or for clearing the dispenser of debris and cutlery jams, even if the dispenser is located between adjacent dispensers, simply by temporarily pulling that dispenser forward part-way out of the base, and then returning it fully into the base after it has been refilled and/or cleared. In other embodiments, the base unit includes one or more flanges or protrusions that engage with corresponding slots provided at the bottom of the dispenser.

According to an exemplary embodiment, a base can hold three dispensing units, which can be selected from among a variety of different available dispenser types, where the selected group of dispensers can be easily changed as needed. For example, a cafeteria operator may choose to populate the base with a fork dispenser, a knife dispenser, and a spoon dispenser, to provide users with their choice of all of the major cutlery items. Or the operator may choose to populate the cutlery base with any selection of dispensers depending on the event, and may even choose to vary the selection of dispensers during the event. For example, two fork dispensers and one knife dispenser may be installed in the base for service during a main course, and then two spoon dispensers and a fork dispenser may be installed in the base for a dessert course.

Installation of multiple vertical dispensers on a single base thereby provides a customizable, compact cutlery dispensing system with an equivalent or smaller footprint than traditional "broadside" dispenser units that dispense only a single type of cutlery, as are currently available in the marketplace. The narrow widths provided by the dispensers of the present invention thereby leave more space available in which the operator can locate additional dispensing systems and/or other consumer-directed items as needed. Alternately, the base unit may be configured with just two compartments, or even a single compartment, depending on the type of cutlery needed, particularly for use in situations where space is at a premium. It will be apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art that the dispenser base can also be constructed with more than three compartments to accommodate additional dispensers for high-traffic situations, and/or for offering additional cutlery options.

In embodiments, the dispenser base is modular, and comprises a plurality of compartmental base units that can be interconnected by an interconnection feature that allows compartmental base units to be ganged together to derive base configurations having a plurality of compartments. For example, two compartmental base units can be connected side-by-side with one interconnection feature therebetween to provide a two-compartment dispenser base. Similarly, three or more compartmental base units can be ganged together using a plurality of interconnection features, thereby enabling any desired number of compartment base units to be ganged together as building blocks to form a base having an arbitrarily large number of compartments.

Accordingly, in various embodiments, compartmental base units are serially connected as building blocks by at least one interconnection feature located therebetween to derive a two-compartment base, a three-compartment base, a four-compartment base, a five-compartment base, a six-compartment base, or more.

In some embodiments, each compartmental base unit can be configured for operation as a stand-alone dispenser base, and can also be assembled with one or more additional compartmental base units in a serial fashion to form a chain or gang of compartmental base units via a universal interconnection features that are installed between each pair of adjacent compartmental base units. It will be further realized by those skilled in the art that any two adjacent compartmental base units that are utilized as building blocks in the ganged construction of a multi-compartment base may or may not be identical to each other. For example, the first building block unit may comprise a single compartment and the second building block unit may comprise a plurality of compartments.

Embodiments of the present invention include a low-cutlery indicator that provides to an operator or user a visible indication or signal that the cutlery level in a dispenser is running low. The low-cutlery indicator includes an indicator arm and a contact arm mounted on an indicator pivot, and is positioned such that the contact arm contacts the stack of stored cutlery. Once the stack of stored cutlery falls below a certain quantity, the contact arm loses contact with the cutlery stack, thereby allowing the low-cutlery indicator to rotate about the indicator pivot so that a low-cutlery signal provided on the indicator arm becomes visible through an indicator window provided in the housing of the dispenser that informs an operator or user that the dispenser should be refilled. In similar embodiments, instead of being visible through an indicator window opening in the dispenser housing, the low-cutlery signal is visible through the housing or a section of the housing that is transparent or semi-transparent. The disclosed low-cutlery indicator is a non-electronic, purely mechanical solution that may be applied to any dispenser or dispenser system that dispenses cutlery from a vertical or inclined stack.

While reference is made herein to a single "low-cutlery" indicator, it will be understood that a plurality of such indicators is included in other embodiments, and that each indicator can provide a separate cutlery level signal to visibly show that the cutlery stack has fallen below a certain level, whether or not this fact indicates that there is a need to refill the dispenser.

The dispenser of the present invention further includes a slide track that guides each cutlery article as it transitions from the stack of stored cutlery to the dispensing position, thereby minimizing cutlery jams. The slide track includes a slide channel for guiding the handle of the bottommost cutlery article therein as it drops and slides from the stack to the dispensing position. In embodiments, for at least some of the dispensers included in the present invention, the entire cutlery article is retained in the slide channel during transit to the dispensing position. In other embodiments of the present invention, in addition to the slide channel for guiding the cutlery handles, the slide track further includes a slide surface disposed on either side of the side channel that supports the head of the cutlery article in an elevated position above the handle portion as the bottommost cutlery article slides to the dispensing position. In embodiments, the slide track further includes guide skirts that laterally confine each cutlery article after it has been released from the vertical stack, so that it falls gravitationally in a desired manner onto the slide track and arrives at the dispensing position with the required orientation.

In embodiments, other features such as handle deflectors and/or vertically hanging arms that transition down from the cutlery storage cavity into the slide track region are provided that further assist in guiding the falling cutlery item onto the slide track and/or preventing unwanted contact between the cutlery articles and other dispenser parts. In addition, the slide track is oriented at an angle that provides an optimal slope for each cutlery article to gravitationally slide downward to the dispensing position in a controlled manner, without gathering excessive momentum to cause turning, twisting, jamming, or inadvertent activation of the escapement member when the cutlery article reaches the dispensing position.

The dispenser of the present invention can be configured to dispense a specific cutlery article with or without rotation or twisting of the cutlery article, depending on the shape of the cutlery articles to be dispensed. Some of the dispensers of the present invention maintain the orientation of each cutlery article as it is delivered to the dispensing position, except that the handle is deflected downward in comparison to the head. For certain cutlery shapes, however, it is necessary to reorient each cutlery article as it is delivered to the dispensing position, so that it can be retained by the escapement member.

In particular, some dispenser embodiments that are configured to dispense knives include features that reorient each knife from a stacked, horizontal orientation into a semi-vertical or vertical orientation in the dispensing position, whereby a raised portion of the knife blade is directed upward so that it contacts the escapement member and retains the knife in the dispensing position.

More specifically, some knife dispenser embodiments include one or more alignment guides that assist in guiding and maintaining the heads of the stack of knives in a specific arrangement, whereby the head of the bottommost knife is laterally offset by a small amount from the remainder of the stack, thereby improving the singulation and rotation of the bottommost knife as it is transferred to the dispensing position. In some of these embodiments, a ramp is provided near the bottom of the alignment guide or guides that extends laterally and pushes the head of the bottommost knife away from beneath the remainder of the stack.

Embodiments further provide one or more rollers that assist in rotating and delivering a knife from its horizontal stacked position into a vertical orientation. In some of these embodiments, the bottommost knife or a portion thereof rests on or is suspended over the one or more rollers. Once the bottommost knife is released for dispensing, the end of its handle begins to fall downward, and the remainder of the knife handle and the head follow. The roller (or each roller) is supported by a pivot that is configured to rotate as the full weight of the bottommost knife is applied to the roller, which causes the knife to turn along its longitudinal axis as it falls under gravity onto the slide track.

For each of the one or more rollers, the roller pivot is configured to return the roller back to its initial position once the bottommost knife has slid beyond it and its weight has been removed from the roller. The rollers can be included separately, or together with one or more platforms or alignment guides that are configured to contact the falling knife and align it into a full <NUM> degree rotation or other desired tilt angle as it falls onto the slide track. In similar embodiments, one or more such platforms are utilized without a roller.

In embodiments, the slide track further includes at least one dampening surface made of a specifically chosen material that is less rigid than the remainder of the slide track and reduces bouncing and skewing of a cutlery article as it falls under gravity and impacts the slide track. In embodiments, the dampening surface is an area of reduced rigidity on the slide channel floor that diminishes bouncing when the handle of the falling cutlery strikes the slide channel. In some embodiments the dampening surface is located in an area of the slide channel floor directly underneath the proximal end of the bottommost cutlery handle. Dampening surfaces can also be configured on the slide surface so as to cushion the initial fall of the head of each bottommost cutlery article as it is dropped from the vertical stack, and/or to reduce bouncing of any or all portions of the bottommost cutlery article when it strikes the slide track.

In some embodiments, the dampening surface is configured as a thin, semi-rigid metal substrate or foil that is suspended above an open area or cavity, thereby allowing for a brief and minor deformation of the dampening surface that reduces excessive bouncing or skewing of the falling cutlery, while maintaining a low friction surface for sliding of the cutlery along the slide track to the dispensing position.

In various embodiments, the slide track mounting includes a pivot at its distal end and a latch at its proximal end that is accessible to an operator to allow the entire slide track to swing downward for cleaning, unjamming, and/or other maintenance.

A first general aspect of the present invention is a cutlery dispenser configured to serially dispense a plurality of cutlery articles, each of the cutlery articles having a handle and a head arranged at opposite ends of a long axis of the cutlery article, the head being at least one of wider and taller than the handle. The cutlery dispenser includes a housing having a front, a rear, two sides, a top, and a bottom, a front-facing width thereof being smaller than a side facing depth thereof, a dispenser cavity located in an upper region of the dispenser within the housing, the dispenser cavity being configured to contain a vertical stack of the cutlery articles, the vertical stack being terminated at its bottom end by a bottommost cutlery article of the vertical stack, and an escapement mechanism configured to retain a first cutlery article of the plurality of cutlery articles in a dispensing position whereby the handle of the first cutlery article extends beyond the front of the dispenser housing.

The escapement mechanism is configured such that removal by a user of the first cutlery article from the dispenser by grasping and pulling of the handle thereof actuates the escapement mechanism, causing the bottommost cutlery article to be singulated from the stack and gravitationally transitioned to the dispensing position, while a remainder of the stack is retained in the dispenser cavity, whereby the bottommost cutlery article becomes a replacement first cutlery article, and a next cutlery article in the stack becomes a replacement bottommost cutlery article. The escapement mechanism comprises at least three pivoting members interconnected by at least three distinct pivots.

In embodiments, the escapement mechanism includes an escapement member configured to retain the first cutlery in the dispensing position by contact between the head of the first cutlery article and a bottom end of the escapement member, a lower retaining surface cooperative with the escapement member and configured to support a proximal end of the bottommost cutlery while a distal end of the bottommost cutlery is supported by a supporting surface proximate a distal end of the a track, a swing member pivotally cooperative with the escapement member, and an upper retaining surface cooperative with the swing member and positioned at an elevation between the proximal ends of the handles of the bottommost cutlery article and the next cutlery article in the vertical stack.

The escapement mechanism is configured such that when the handle of the first cutlery article is grasped by the user and the first cutlery article is removed from the dispenser, the bottom end of the escapement member is pulled forward by the head of the first cutlery article as the first cutlery article passes beneath the escapement member, the first retaining surface is withdrawn from beneath the proximal end of the bottommost cutlery article, the swing arm is actuated by the escapement member, causing the second retaining member to pivot and be inserted beneath the proximal end of the handle of the next cutlery article, the bottommost cutlery article falls downward from the vertical stack onto the slide track and is guided by the slide track as it slides gravitationally to the dispensing position, the escapement member recovers from actuation, thereby retaining the bottommost cutlery article as a replacement first cutlery article in the dispensing position.

Upon recovery of the escapement member, the lower retaining surface is reasserted beneath the proximal end of the handle of the next cutlery article, and the upper retaining surface is withdrawn from beneath the proximal end of the handle of the next cutlery article, whereby the proximal end of the next cutlery article falls onto the lower retaining surface, the next cutlery article thereby becoming a replacement bottommost cutlery article.

In either of the above embodiments, the escapement mechanism can further include a coil return spring configured to return the escapement mechanism to a rest configuration after actuation thereof. And in some of these embodiments, the escapement mechanism comprises a plurality of coil return springs.

A second general aspect of the present invention is a cutlery dispenser that is configured to serially dispense a plurality of cutlery articles, each of the cutlery articles having a handle and a head arranged at opposite ends of a long axis of the cutlery article, the head being at least one of wider and taller than the handle. The cutlery dispenser includes a housing having a front, a rear, two sides, a top, and a bottom, a front-facing width thereof being smaller than a side facing depth thereof, a dispenser cavity located in an upper region of the dispenser within the housing, the dispenser cavity being configured to contain a vertical stack of the cutlery articles, the vertical stack being terminated at its bottom end by a bottommost cutlery article of the vertical stack, and an escapement mechanism configured to retain a first cutlery article of the plurality of cutlery articles in a dispensing position whereby the handle of the first cutlery article extends beyond the front of the dispenser housing.

The escapement mechanism is configured such that removal by a user of the first cutlery article from the dispenser by grasping and pulling of the handle thereof actuates the escapement mechanism, causing the bottommost cutlery article to be singulated from the vertical stack and gravitationally guided by a downward sloping slide track to the dispensing position, while a remainder of the vertical stack is retained in the dispenser cavity, whereby the bottommost cutlery article becomes a replacement first cutlery article, and a next cutlery article in the stack becomes a replacement bottommost cutlery article.

The slide track includes a slide channel configured to laterally confine the handle of the bottommost cutlery article and a head channel configured to laterally confine the head of the bottommost cutlery article as the bottommost cutlery article gravitationally slides to the dispensing position.

In some embodiments, the head channel is wider than the slide channel, the head channel includes a slide surface upon which the head of the bottommost cutlery article rests as the bottommost cutlery article slides to the dispensing position; and the slide track is formed in a central region of the slide surface.

In other embodiments, the head channel is the slide channel, and is configured to contain both the handle and the head of the bottommost cutlery article as the bottommost cutlery article slides to the dispensing position.

In some embodiments where the head channel is the slide channel, and is configured to contain both the handle and the head of the bottommost cutlery article as the bottommost cutlery article slides to the dispensing position, the dispenser is configured to rotate the bottommost cutlery article about its long axis from a horizontal to a vertical orientation as it falls from the stack into the slide channel, so that the head of the bottommost cutlery article extends upward above the slide channel and is retained by the escapement mechanism in the first position. Some of these embodiments further include at least one pivoting support that is vertically impacted by the bottommost cutlery article when the bottommost cutlery article is released from the stack, the pivoting support being configured to pivot in response to a gravitational force applied thereto by the bottommost cutlery article, thereby inducing a rotation of the bottommost cutlery article about its long axis. In any of these embodiments, the slide track can further comprise at least one inwardly sloped surface configured to guide the bottommost cutlery article from a partially rotated configuration to a fully rotated configuration as it falls into the slide channel. In any of these embodiments, before the bottommost cutlery article is singulated and released from the stack, a distal end of the head thereof can be supported by a head-supporting surface that extends only partway beneath the distal end, such that when a proximal end of the handle of the bottommost cutlery article is released by the escapement mechanism, the head-supporting surface imparts a rotational torque to the bottommost cutlery article about its long axis as the bottommost cutlery article falls toward the slide track.

In any embodiment of the second general aspect, the slide channel can further include a dampening surface configured to reduce bouncing and skewing of the bottommost cutlery article as the proximal end of the bottommost cutlery article falls onto the dampening surface. Some of these embodiments further include a damping space provided beneath the dampening surface that enables the dampening surface to elastically expand into the damping space when the proximal end of the bottommost cutlery article falls onto the dampening surface.

And in any of these embodiments the slide track can be configured so as to cause the first cutlery article to slide toward the dispensing position at an angle of approximately <NUM> degrees from horizontal.

A third general aspect of the present invention is a cutlery dispensing system that includes a base, said base comprising a base front, a base rear, and at least one base compartment, wherein each of the base compartments comprises a first retaining feature.

The cutlery dispensing system further includes at least one cutlery dispenser comprising an internal dispenser cavity within a dispenser housing, said dispenser housing having a dispenser front, a dispenser rear, a dispenser first side, a dispenser second side, a dispenser top, a dispenser bottom, and a second retaining feature proximate said dispenser bottom, said internal dispenser cavity being configured for storing a plurality of cutlery articles in a cutlery article stack, and for serially dispensing the plurality of cutlery articles from said dispenser front. The cutlery dispenser is configured for installation in the base by a mutual engagement of said first and second retaining features as said dispenser is inserted into one of said at least one base compartment in said base, wherein said mutual engagement of said first and second retaining features prevents tipping of the cutlery dispenser after said installation of the cutlery dispenser in said base.

In embodiments, the first retaining feature in said base extends horizontally from said base front to a position proximate said base rear, said first retaining feature being configured as one of a track, a groove, a channel, a slot, and a recess.

In either of these embodiments, the second retaining feature can extend horizontally from said dispenser front to a position proximate said dispenser rear, said second retaining feature being configured as one of a flange, a protrusion, a rib, a roller, and a projection.

In any of the above embodiments, the first retaining feature in the base can include a horizontally extending slot into which the second retaining feature is slidingly inserted when the cutlery dispenser is installed in the base.

In any of the above embodiments, the second retaining feature can include a horizontally extending flange that is slidingly inserted into said first retaining feature when the cutlery dispenser is installed in the base.

In any of the above embodiments, the first and second retaining features can be configured to allow said cutlery dispenser to be slidingly inserted into the base horizontally during said installation, and to be slid partway out from the base to provide access to at least said dispenser first side for refilling the cutlery dispenser after said plurality of cutlery articles has been at least partially depleted.

In any of the above embodiments, the base can include a plurality of base compartments, and all of the first retaining features in said plurality of base compartments can be identical to each other, said plurality of base compartments being configured to receive a plurality of cutlery dispensers, wherein all of the second retaining features in said plurality of cutlery dispensers are identical to each other, so that the plurality of cutlery dispensers can be installed in the base in any order of positioning in the plurality of base compartments.

In any of the above embodiments, the base can includes a plurality of base compartments having a plurality of cutlery dispensers installed therein, said plurality of installed cutlery dispensers being selected from a larger plurality of cutlery dispensers, the larger plurality of cutlery dispensers comprising a quantity of cutlery dispensers that exceeds a quantity of installed cutlery dispensers included in the base, so that any subset of the larger plurality of cutlery dispensers can be selected and installed in the base in any order of positioning.

In any of the above embodiments, the base can includes a plurality of base compartments, and each of the base compartments can be separated from an adjacent base compartment in the base by a distance of at least <NUM> (<NUM> inches).

In any of the above embodiments, the base can include at least two base compartments, and the base front can have a width of less than <NUM> (<NUM> inches).

In any of the above embodiments, the base can include at least three base compartments for receiving at least three cutlery dispensers, and the base front can have a width of less than <NUM> (<NUM> inches).

In any of the above embodiments, the base can include at least three base compartments, and the base front can have a width of less than <NUM> (<NUM> inches).

In any of the above embodiments, the base can include a first compartment base unit that includes the at least one base compartment, said first compartment base unit comprising a unit attachment feature that enables a side of the first compartment base unit to be attached to a side of a second compartment base unit. Some of these embodiments further include a pair of end caps that are attached to ends of the base by end cap attachment features that are compatible with the unit attachment features. In any of these embodiments the base can further include a second compartment base unit, adjoining sides of said first and second base compartment units being interconnected by an interconnection feature that includes interconnect attachment features on first and second opposing sides thereof, said interconnect attachment features being engaged with the unit attachment features of the adjoining first and second compartment base units. And in some of these embodiments, the first and second compartment base units include different numbers of compartments. In any of these embodiments, the base can further include a third compartment base unit that is attached to a side of the second compartment base unit by a second interconnection feature.

A third general aspect of the present invention is a cutlery dispenser configured to serially dispense a plurality of cutlery articles. The cutlery dispenser includes a dispenser housing having a dispenser front, a dispenser rear, a dispenser first side, a dispenser second side, a dispenser top, and a dispenser bottom, an internal dispenser cavity within the dispenser housing, said internal dispenser cavity being configured for storing a plurality of cutlery articles in a cutlery article stack, and a cutlery article quantity indicator.

The cutlery article quantity indicator includes an indicator arm pivotal about an indicator pivot between an engaged position and an unengaged position, a contact arm cooperative with the indicator arm and configured to laterally contact the cutlery article stack at an indicator height of the cutlery article stack, the contact arm when in contact with the cutlery article stack maintaining the indicator arm in the engaged position, and an indicator signal cooperative with the indicator arm and configured to be externally visible when the indicator arm is in the unengaged position, and to be externally not-visible when the indicator arm is in the engaged position.

The cutlery article quantity indicator is operable such that when the cutlery article stack is reduced in height to below the indicator height, the contact arm is released from contact with the cutlery article stack, causing the indicator arm to pivot to the unengaged position, thereby causing the indicator signal to become externally visible.

In embodiments, the dispenser front includes an indicator window through which the indicator signal is visible when the indicator arm is in the unengaged position.

In any of the above embodiments, the contact arm can be configured to laterally contact a proximal end of at least one cutlery article included in the cutlery article stack when the indicator arm is in the engaged position.

In any of the above embodiments, the indicator height can be set at a sufficient level from said bottommost cutlery article in said cutlery article stack to provide at least one cutlery articles remaining in said cutlery article stack after the indicator signal is activated to be visible.

And any of the above embodiments can further include a plurality of cutlery article quantity indicators configured to be released at a corresponding plurality of different indicator heights of the cutlery article stack.

It should be noted that the dispenser of any of the embodiments of the first general aspect can further include the slide track of any embodiment of the second general aspect, can be compatible for installation in any of the bases of the third general aspect, and/or can further include the cutlery article quantity indicator(s) of any embodiment of the fourth general aspect.

The dispenser of any embodiment of the second general aspect can further include the escapement mechanism of any embodiment of the first general aspect, can be compatible for installation in any of the bases of the third general aspect, and/or can further include the cutlery article quantity indicator(s) of any embodiment of the fourth general aspect.

Any of the dispensers included in the dispenser system of any embodiment of the third general aspect can further include the escapement mechanism of any embodiment of the first general aspect, can further include the slide track of any embodiment of the second general aspect, and/or can further include the cutlery article quantity indicator(s) of any embodiment of the fourth general aspect.

The present invention is a novel system and method for dispensing cutlery that provides improved assurance of sanitation, ease of retrieval of a plurality of different cutlery types such as forks, spoons, and knives from a single station without requiring a user to move or walk from dispenser to dispenser, a compact footprint and space savings, a low-cutlery signal that can be seen from a distance, ease of refilling, purely mechanical auto-actuation of next cutlery items via gravity without requiring an electrical connection or periodic replenishment of batteries, ease of maintenance, easy adaptability to meet specific cutlery requirements, and many other improvements over prior art dispensers.

While the present invention is described herein with reference to only a few specific embodiments detailing dispensing of disposable forks, knives, and spoons, it should be understood that the description herein is illustrative of the invention and is not to be considered as limiting the invention to the specific embodiments or features that are shown or described. The invention and representative embodiments are capable of various modifications and variations that can be conceived by one of skill in the art without undue experimentation for dispensing other types of cutlery, such as sporks, stirrers, or chopsticks, and all such modifications and variations are deemed to be included within the scope of the invention.

Furthermore, both disposable and permanent ware cutlery items can be dispensed by the system and method of the current invention. In general, it should be understood that the present invention can be adapted for dispensing substantially any elongate object that includes a handle portion and a head portion. Accordingly, the dispenser of the present invention is also applicable to dispensing of items of elongate shape such as various medical and dental tools, as well as other objects that are not directed to the consumption of food.

It will also be realized by those skilled in the art that the disclosed dispenser can be of a size and shape in accordance with the size and shape of the cutlery to be dispensed, and that the cutlery storage capacity can be easily adjusted according to the needs of specific applications. The following description and accompanying drawings provide further details and examples of the invention and its embodiments, wherein like numerals represent like parts.

<FIG> present external views of an embodiment of the disclosed dispenser system <NUM>. <FIG> present views of separate components of dispenser system <NUM>. With reference to <FIG>, the illustrated dispenser system <NUM> embodiment includes a common base <NUM> with three compartments for accommodating three cutlery dispensers. In the illustrated embodiment, the installed dispensers are a fork dispenser <NUM>, a spoon dispenser <NUM>, and a knife dispenser <NUM>. The base <NUM> without the installed dispensers is shown in <FIG>. The base <NUM> features side rails <NUM> extending from the front to the back of the base <NUM> on either side of each of the three compartments. Each compartment in the base <NUM> shown in <FIG> includes a pair of channels or slots, namely slots <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM>. Each slot in the base <NUM> is configured for receiving a corresponding engagement feature provided in the dispenser as discussed below. <FIG> are perspective and front views of the fork, spoon and knife dispensers respectively prior to their installation in the base <NUM>.

The cutlery dispensers <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> and base <NUM> have a modular construction to allow interchangeability of cutlery dispensers and their relative positions within the base <NUM>. For instance, the dispensers <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> can be arranged in three compartments as shown in <FIG> from left to right as knife, fork, and spoon (designated in abbreviated form as KFS), or in any other arrangement sequence such as KSF, FKS, FSK, SFK, and SKF. In addition, depending on the type of food being served at an event, base <NUM> can be equipped with any combinations of dispensers, such as fork dispensers only (FFF), spoon dispensers only (SSS), knife dispensers only (KKK), fork and knife dispensers (FFK or FKK), fork and spoon dispensers (FFS or FSS) or any other permutation or combination of dispensers.

Due to the narrow widths of the three dispensers <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM>, the entire dispensing system in <FIG> is approximately equal in width to a single lateral or "broadside" dispenser of the prior art, thus offering a nearly <NUM>-fold space advantage over a broadside dispenser. It will also be realized by those skilled in the art that the base <NUM> can be expanded to include additional compartments for accommodating more than three dispensers. Alternately, the base <NUM> can be constructed with a single compartment for accommodating a single dispenser, or with two compartments for accommodating two dispensers.

In the illustrated embodiment, each of the dispensers <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> includes an engagement feature at the bottom thereof, which cooperatively engages with corresponding channels or slots provided in each compartment of the base <NUM>, for sliding the dispensers into and out of the base in a stable manner and keeping them upright within base <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, the fork dispenser <NUM> includes an engagement feature or flange <NUM> on either side of its bottom for inserting and aligning it into one of the slots <NUM>, <NUM> or <NUM> of the base <NUM>. Similarly, spoon dispenser <NUM> and knife dispenser <NUM> have respective engagement features or flanges <NUM> and <NUM> that are configured to engage with any of the slots <NUM>, <NUM> or <NUM> of the base <NUM> (see <FIG>). Accordingly, any one of these dispensers <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> can be fully installed within the base <NUM> by inserting and aligning the dispenser engagement features within the channels or slots provided in any of the compartments of the base <NUM>.

Once installed in the dispenser base <NUM>, any one of the installed dispensers <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> can be partially slid out of its compartment for the purpose of providing access for refilling cutlery into the dispenser. Any of the dispensers <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> can also be completely removed from the base <NUM> by sliding it fully out from its channel or slot, as may be necessary, for example, when replacing or swapping a dispenser. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that each of the dispensers <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> can be partially pulled out of base <NUM> for cutlery refilling purposes, clearing jams and debris, etc., and then reinstalled within the base <NUM>, without unduly disturbing the cutlery stacks held within the dispensers and while retaining the longitudinal axes of the stacked cutlery articles in a mutually parallel relationship, thus facilitating trouble-free dispensing and maintenance.

The engagement features <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> included on the bottoms of the respective dispensers may further include a series of raised ribs or ridges <NUM> that ensure proper guidance and alignment of the engagement features <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> within the channels slots <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> in the base <NUM>. The engagement features <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> may be constructed of materials that reduce friction between the engagement features <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and the cooperative channels provided in the base <NUM>.

Similarly, in various embodiments other engagement means are provided for cooperatively installing the dispenser in the base in a secure and stable manner that avoids inadvertent tipping of the dispenser during use or loading. It will be realized that the engagement features can be reversed such that the channels or slots are provided on the dispenser for cooperative engagement with protrusions provided in the base. In some embodiments, other locking features or mechanisms are included for retaining the dispenser in the base, such as a snap lock, a screw lock, a latch, or a toggle on the dispenser and/or on the base. In various embodiments, any of a variety of guiding features are provided, such as freewheeling rollers or bearings provided on the dispenser and/or on the base, for facilitating alignment and reducing friction.

With continued reference to <FIG>, the dispensers <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> of the dispenser system <NUM>, are shown with respective "first" cutlery articles indicated by numeral <NUM> in "dispensing positions," such that the respective handles of the first cutlery articles <NUM> extend outward from the dispenser front panels, wherefrom they can be easily grasped by a consumer and removed from the respective dispensers. When in the dispensing position, the first cutlery article <NUM> in each dispenser is oriented with its handle extending outward from the dispenser exit area, so that it is readily apparent and accessible to the user for grasping and removal. The act of grasping and removing the first cutlery article from one of the dispensers <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM>, mechanically activates an escapement mechanism <NUM> (see <FIG>) that releases a replacement "bottommost" cutlery article from the stack for transfer to the dispensing position, where it can be grasped and removed by a next user or consumer.

Since a consumer grasps and removes the cutlery directly from the dispenser exit area, there is no external lever to operate or receiving tray or bin, thus eliminating the possibility of cross contamination due to cutlery falling into a previously contaminated bin or tray, or by contacting a lever that has been touched by a plurality of users. Furthermore, once a user retrieves a cutlery article directly from the dispenser, the user is unlikely to actuate the dispenser again by mistake, as typically happens with lever-actuated dispensers.

The front plates <NUM> of each of the dispensers <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> can include identifying indicia <NUM> that indicate the type of cutlery articles residing in each dispenser, and can further include brand names, logos, images, graphics, and/or directions (see <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG>). The front plates <NUM> can be removably attached to the dispenser with standard attachment features, such as snap fits, friction fit posts, screws, hook-and-loop, etc. as are known in the art. Removable front plates <NUM> can also facilitate customization of the front plate and updating its appearance and messaging for various customers, restaurants, cafeterias, events, and commercial settings, and/or for replacing a worn or damaged front plate. In other embodiments, the front plate includes a feature such as a slot or transparent pocket into which graphics can be inserted and removed, so as to flexibly change the displayed colors, logos, and/or other indicia.

The top assemblies <NUM> of the dispensers <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> are also visible in <FIG>. As is discussed in more detail below with reference to <FIG>, the top assemblies <NUM> comprise a top loading door <NUM> mounted to the dispenser by a hinge <NUM> and fastened shut by a latch <NUM>.

In the embodiment of <FIG>, the dispensers <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> also include cutlery level indicators that function as "low-cutlery" or refill prompters. As shown in <FIG>, a low-cutlery indicator window <NUM> is located on the front plate <NUM> of each dispenser <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM>, to provide a visible indication that allows an operator or user to easily determine from a distance if the supply of cutlery held within the dispenser is nearly exhausted and the dispenser needs to be refilled. Specifically, if a low-cutlery signal <NUM> (shown only on dispenser <NUM> in the figure) is visible through the cutlery indicator window <NUM>, an observer is able to quickly ascertain that the quantity of cutlery remaining in a dispenser is below a certain level, and thereby quickly determine if the dispenser needs to be refilled.

The embodiment of <FIG> includes only a single cutlery indicator window <NUM> on each dispenser <NUM>, <NUM>, or <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, the low-cutlery signal <NUM> of the fork dispenser <NUM> is visible within the indicator window <NUM> as a dark colored portion. In other embodiments, the low-cutlery signal <NUM> is provided as a bright colored portion that is readily conspicuous from a distance, so that a restaurant employee or cafeteria attendee can promptly refill the dispenser. Alternately, the low cutlery signal can be configured to display a written message, such as "LOW" or "REFILL," or a pictorial image that informs an operator that the quantity of cutlery remaining in the dispenser is below a certain level and the dispenser needs to be refilled.

Other embodiments provide more than one cutlery indicator window arranged at various levels or heights on the front of each dispenser, for example having different colored indicators, so as to provide a series of visual signals of remaining quantities as the cutlery articles are consumed from the dispenser, such as GREEN indicating a full dispenser, YELLOW indicating a medium level, and RED indicating a low level whereat the dispenser should be refilled. Still other embodiments may include a transparent or translucent strip or window through which the cutlery level can be viewed as cutlery is depleted or removed from the dispenser.

<FIG> is a side view of a first side <NUM> of a dispenser from the dispenser assembly <NUM> as viewed from the right of <FIG>, which in the illustrated embodiment includes an access door <NUM> and an access door latch <NUM>. The access door <NUM> may be opened so as to allow access to an internal dispenser cavity <NUM>, and is preferably translucent or fully transparent, thereby enabling an operator to visually assess the quantity of cutlery within a dispenser. The access door <NUM> spans the vertical length of the internal dispenser cavity <NUM> (visible in <FIG>), thereby allowing an operator physical access to the dispenser cavity <NUM> so as to assist in loading of replenishment cutlery and/or for clearing any items that may accidentally have become lodged therein.

<FIG> illustrates a side view of a second side <NUM> of a dispenser from the dispenser assembly <NUM> as viewed from the left of <FIG>, which in the illustrated embodiment includes a view window <NUM> near the bottom region of the dispenser. The view window <NUM> provides visual access to the internal dispenser cavity <NUM>, thereby allowing the operator to ascertain the general quantity of cutlery remaining in the dispenser and whether the dispenser needs to be refilled. It will be realized that one or more windows of any desired size and location can be provided on the second side <NUM> of the dispenser. Alternately, view window <NUM> on second side <NUM> can be in the form of an access door similar to the access door <NUM> on first side <NUM>. Thus, the first side <NUM> and second side <NUM> of any of the dispensers shown in <FIG>, may include any combination of access door(s) and/or window(s), provided however that at least one of the sides enables physical access to the internal dispenser cavity <NUM> for cutlery loading, refilling, and general maintenance.

<FIG> presents a partial top perspective view of the dispenser assembly <NUM>, wherein each of the dispensers <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> includes a top loading door <NUM> that allows loading of cutlery, and the knife dispenser <NUM> has been installed at the right of the base <NUM> and is shown with its top loading door <NUM> and side access door <NUM> open. The top loading door <NUM> and side access door <NUM> may be opened by a user to uncover a loading guide opening <NUM> provided in a loading guide <NUM>, and to access the internal dispenser cavity <NUM>, so that a cutlery stack <NUM> can be inserted through the loading guide opening <NUM> into the dispenser cavity <NUM>. In the figure, a stack of knives <NUM> is visible through the side door opening in <FIG>.

In the illustrated embodiment, each top loading door <NUM> is connected to its dispenser by a pair of hinges <NUM>. A latch <NUM> is located on the opposing side of the hinges <NUM> to allow a user to open the top loading door <NUM>. The latch <NUM> can comprise a simple lift tab, or can be any other style of latch, release, or locking mechanism known in the art. The arrangement of the hinges <NUM> and the latch <NUM> is configured to allow the top loading door <NUM> and access door <NUM> to collaboratively provide convenient access to the internal dispenser cavity <NUM> for loading a cutlery stack <NUM> therein. In other embodiments, one or more hinges <NUM> are positioned at the back of each dispenser <NUM>, <NUM>, or <NUM>, with the latch <NUM> being correspondingly opposed from the hinges and located at the front of the dispenser, thereby allowing the top loading door to be lifted and opened from the front of the dispenser instead of from a side.

The process of reloading an empty dispenser is illustrated in <FIG> and summarized in the flow diagram of <FIG>. For ease of illustration, the right-most dispenser <NUM> is refilled in <FIG>, but the illustrated method applies to all of the dispensers <NUM> - <NUM>. With reference to <FIG>, when the low-cutlery indicator <NUM> provides an indication that a dispenser <NUM> should be refilled, the dispenser <NUM> is slid forward partway out of the base <NUM>(step <NUM>, <FIG>), so that the access door <NUM>, cutlery release lever window <NUM>, and priming lever end 157a become accessible. It can be seen that when either of the other two dispensers <NUM>, <NUM> is refilled, it is also necessary to slide the dispenser forward to access the access door <NUM>, and that the base <NUM> in the illustrated embodiment prevents access to the cutlery release lever window <NUM> and priming lever end 157a for all of the dispensers <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> when they are fully inserted in the base <NUM> (see <FIG>). <FIG> show views of the fork, spoon and knife dispensers as they appear when they are removed from the base <NUM>, thereby clearly showing the cutlery release lever window <NUM> and priming lever end 157a for each of the three dispensers.

To facilitate efficient and convenient loading of a plurality of cutlery articles into the dispenser, the cutlery articles are stacked and bundled into a refill pack. <FIG> illustrate respectively a fork refill pack <NUM>, a spoon refill pack <NUM> and a knife refill pack <NUM>. Each of the refill packs is held together by a strip of tape <NUM> applied on one side of the stack of cutlery articles. The strip of tape can further include top tab <NUM> and bottom tab <NUM> that provide for convenient handling of the cutlery refill packs.

After opening the top loading door <NUM> and the access door <NUM> (<FIG>; step <NUM>, <FIG>), an operator is able to lower a knife cutlery refill pack <NUM> downward (<FIG>) through the loading guide opening <NUM> provided in the loading guide <NUM> into the dispenser cavity <NUM> (step <NUM>; <FIG>). The top end <NUM> of the tape <NUM> that maintains the refill pack <NUM> can be used as a handle to suspend the refill pack <NUM> as it is lowered into the dispenser <NUM>. Inserting the refill pack <NUM> into the dispenser <NUM> automatically resets the low cutlery signal <NUM>, which no longer appears in the low utensil window <NUM>.

Once the refill pack <NUM> is loaded into the dispenser <NUM>, the tape <NUM> is removed from the stack <NUM> by pulling the tape <NUM> away from the cutlery stack through the side door opening (<FIG>; step <NUM> <FIG>). In some embodiments featuring high capacity dispensers, a plurality of refill packs can be introduced into the dispenser so as to fill the dispenser <NUM> to a desired level. The top loading door <NUM> and access door <NUM> are then closed, and the priming lever end 157a is actuated (step <NUM>, <FIG>) so as to deliver the bottommost cutlery article <NUM> from the cutlery stack <NUM> within the dispenser <NUM> to the dispensing position <NUM> (<FIG>).

Finally, with reference to <FIG>, the refilled dispenser <NUM> is slid back into place in the base <NUM> (step <NUM>, <FIG>).

<FIG> illustrate an interior view of a fork dispenser <NUM>, shown without the base <NUM>, the loading door <NUM>, and the external protective housing enclosure on the sides <NUM>, <NUM>, and back of the dispenser <NUM>. In the illustrated embodiment, two guide rails <NUM> and <NUM> extend vertically downward from a top loading guide <NUM> at least past the resting position of the bottommost cutlery article <NUM>. Guide rail <NUM> serves as an alignment guide for the head portion of the cutlery article, while guide rail <NUM> serves as an alignment guide for the handle portion of the cutlery article. The guide rails <NUM> and <NUM> facilitate loading of cutlery and retaining of the cutlery in a stack, whereby the guide rails <NUM> and <NUM> define the dispenser cavity <NUM> therebetween. Each of the guide rails <NUM> and <NUM> can be in the form of a U-shaped channel. Other embodiments include various configurations and shapes of the guide rails <NUM> and <NUM>, which can simply be in the form of bars or rods with provision for multiple guide rails such as three, four five, six, or more guide rails, in lieu of the two guide rails shown in the illustrated embodiment.

During cutlery loading, the guide rails <NUM> and <NUM> ensure that each cutlery article <NUM> in the cutlery stack <NUM> remains in the proper stacked configuration. Partially visible in <FIG> and <FIG> are an escapement assembly <NUM>, a slide track <NUM>, and a cutlery level indicator system <NUM>, each of which is discussed in more detail below. As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the low-cutlery indication <NUM> of the cutlery level indicator <NUM> is visible as a darkened section through the cutlery indicator window <NUM> located on front plate <NUM>.

<FIG> is a top view of the loading guides <NUM> for the three dispensers <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM>, with a cutlery stack <NUM> loaded into each of the dispenser cavities <NUM>. The loading guide <NUM> in each dispenser has a suitably shaped opening <NUM> to allow a cutlery stack <NUM> to pass through from above and to be channeled into the dispenser cavity <NUM>. Each of the loading guide openings <NUM> in the illustrated embodiment closely corresponds in shape with the profile of the intended cutlery stack <NUM>, and is slightly larger than the profile of the intended cutlery type, so as to assist an operator in guiding and loading the cutlery stacks into their respective dispensers <NUM>, <NUM>, or <NUM>, while avoiding inadvertent loading of a cutlery stack into a dispenser that is configured for a different type of cutlery, for example to prevent inserting a stack of forks or knives into a dispenser <NUM> that is configured to dispense spoons. However, embodiments can include any size, shape, or profile of the opening <NUM> in the loading guide <NUM> that is slightly larger than the profile of the intended cutlery stack <NUM>.

The top loading doors <NUM> have been removed in <FIG>, thereby allowing the hinges <NUM> to be more clearly visible on each dispenser <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM>. The top of the access door <NUM> is visible in the figure. Typically an operator will open the top loading door <NUM> and access door <NUM> for loading cutlery refills into the dispenser cavity <NUM>.

<FIG> present various views of an escapement assembly <NUM> shown with a bottommost cutlery article <NUM> positioned in a release position, and the slide track <NUM> having a first cutlery article <NUM> aligned in the dispensing position with the handle portion of first cutlery article <NUM> being accessible to a user for grasping and removal. <FIG> is a top view similar to <FIG>, but with the cutlery article <NUM>, <NUM> omitted. <FIG> is a perspective view of the escapement assembly <NUM> shown together with the slide track and other features. <FIG> are side views of the escapement mechanism <NUM> shown in the resting configuration and the actuated configuration, respectively.

With reference to <FIG>, the escapement assembly <NUM> comprises a plurality of components that are connected to each other by four pivot pins 164a-d. These include a mounting block <NUM>, a swing member <NUM> having an upper retaining surface <NUM> attached thereto, a link <NUM>, and an escapement member <NUM>. The escapement member <NUM> has a lower retaining surface <NUM> attached thereto. Note that distribution of the mechanism over four pivots in the illustrated embodiment, instead of having only one or two pivots, serves to reduce the wear on each pivot and thereby extends the lifetime of the dispenser.

The mounting block <NUM> of the escapement assembly <NUM> can be affixed to the dispenser housing or to another structure, which can include one or more guide rails <NUM> (see <FIG>), and is preferably located at the front of the dispenser <NUM>, <NUM>, or <NUM>. The swing member <NUM> is pivotally connected to the mounting block <NUM> by a pivot pin 164a, with the swing member being oriented generally vertically and in line with the mounting block. The swing member <NUM> extends downward to the upper retaining surface <NUM>, which is a generally horizontal projection, projecting inward from the swing member <NUM> toward the dispenser cavity <NUM>. The upper end of the escapement member <NUM> is also pivotally connected to the mounting block <NUM> by pivot pin 164d.

The swing member <NUM> is pivotally connected near its top end to a distal end of a link <NUM> by means of pivot pin 164b, while the proximal end of link <NUM> is pivotally connected near the upper end of escapement member <NUM> by pivot pin 164c.

The escapement assembly <NUM> is configured such that actuation of the escapement member <NUM> (<FIG>), when a user grasps the first cutlery piece <NUM> and removes it from the dispensing position, results in contrary horizontal movements of the upper <NUM> and lower <NUM> retaining surfaces, whereby the movement of the escapement member <NUM> causes the lower retaining surface <NUM> to be withdrawn from beneath the cutlery stack <NUM>, while the upper retaining surface is simultaneously inserted into the cutlery stack <NUM> at a location just above the bottommost cutlery article <NUM>, thereby allowing the bottommost cutlery article <NUM> to be released from the stack and transferred to the dispensing position for retrieval by a next user. The vertical gap between the lower retaining surface <NUM> and upper retaining surface <NUM> is configured to allow insertion of upper retaining surface <NUM> just above the bottommost cutlery article <NUM>, while the cutlery stack <NUM> is configured to provide gaps between the proximal ends of the cutlery articles in the stack <NUM> so as to enable insertion of upper retaining surface <NUM> in between the bottommost cutlery article <NUM> and the article just above it in the cutlery stack <NUM>. Similarly, recovery of the escapement member <NUM> to its original position causes the upper retaining surface <NUM> to be withdrawn, while the lower retaining surface is reasserted beneath the stack so as to retain a replacement bottommost cutlery article.

With reference to <FIG> and <FIG>, while in a resting configuration the proximal end of the handle of the bottommost cutlery article <NUM> rests on the lower retaining surface <NUM>, while a distal end of the head of the bottommost cutlery article rests on a retaining ledge, thereby maintaining the bottommost cutlery article <NUM>, and the cutlery stack <NUM> as a whole, in a generally horizontal orientation. In various embodiments, the distal end of the head of bottommost cutlery article <NUM> can be supported in any of a variety of manners, such as by resting on a ledge or shelf, by resting on a post, or by a cooperative retaining means such as a projection. In embodiments, the cutlery articles <NUM> are configured to include a compatible feature at their distal ends, such as a corresponding indentation, that cooperatively enhances the suspension and release of the cutlery article <NUM>.

As is shown in Figures, the escapement member <NUM> extends generally vertically downward, with its lower end <NUM> configured to contact and intercept a head portion of the first cutlery article <NUM> while the first cutlery article rests upon the slide track <NUM>, thereby preventing the first cutlery article <NUM> from gravitationally traveling past the defined dispensing position until it is pulled out by a user (see <FIG>). The lower retaining surface <NUM> extends horizontally and is positioned near the upper end of the escapement member <NUM>, and is configured to extend horizontally into the dispenser cavity <NUM>. While the escapement member <NUM> is in its resting position (<FIG>), the lower retaining surface <NUM> is configured to act as a stop to hold and maintain the proximal end of bottommost cutlery article <NUM> in the cutlery stack <NUM> within the dispenser cavity. The lower retaining surface <NUM> can be of any size or shape, and can be positioned at any desired location. It should be noted that the upper retaining surface <NUM> and lower retaining surface <NUM> need not be of a unitary construction with swing member <NUM> and/or escapement member <NUM> respectively, and can be separate parts that can be attached accordingly.

<FIG> illustrate dispensing of the first cutlery article <NUM> from the dispenser <NUM> (fork dispenser). As a user (not shown) grasps the handle of the first cutlery article <NUM> and pulls it out, the lower end <NUM> of the escapement member <NUM> is forced to pivot outward away from the dispenser cavity <NUM> due to contact with the raised head portion of the first cutlery article <NUM>, while the upper end of the escapement member pivots at pivot pin 164d. This movement withdraws the lower retaining surface <NUM> away from beneath the bottommost cutlery article <NUM>.

As the lower retaining surface <NUM> is withdrawn, the bottommost cutlery article <NUM> is thereby released from the cutlery stack <NUM>, and the proximal end thereof is gravitationally compelled downward. As the escapement member <NUM> pivots, link <NUM> is moved, forcing the upper end of the swing member <NUM> to pivot inward, thereby causing the upper retaining surface <NUM> to enter the vertical plane of the dispenser cavity <NUM>. As the upper retaining surface <NUM> enters the vertical plane of dispenser cavity <NUM>, the bottom of a "next" cutlery article in the cutlery stack <NUM> contacts the upper retaining surface <NUM>, so that the cutlery stack <NUM> is held and maintained in place. The bottommost cutlery article <NUM> is thereby singulated from the remainder of the stack <NUM>. Once the first cutlery article <NUM> has been dispensed from the dispenser and contact between the first cutlery article <NUM> and the escapement member <NUM> ends, the escapement member <NUM> is pulled back to a resting position by a pair of coil return springs <NUM>.

As the escapement member <NUM> returns to its resting position, the link <NUM> and swing member <NUM> correspondingly pivot back to their resting positions, causing the lower retaining surface <NUM> to be reinserted beneath the replacement bottommost cutlery article <NUM>, while the upper retaining surface <NUM> is withdrawn from beneath the cutlery stack <NUM>, causing the proximal end of the cutlery stack <NUM>, which is no longer held and maintained by the upper retaining surface <NUM>, to fall onto the lower retaining surface <NUM>, thereby resetting the dispenser and causing the "next" cutlery article to become a replacement bottommost cutlery article <NUM>. Note that use of a pair of coil springs and a <NUM>-pin pivot arrangement for sequencing the lower and upper retaining surfaces significantly extends the useful life of the dispenser and the number of cutlery dispensing cycles that the dispenser can undergo.

<FIG> is a side view of the embodiment shown in <FIG>, illustrating the positions of the cutlery in the dispenser at the moment when the escapement member <NUM> has just been returned to its rest position after being actuated by the head of the first cutlery article <NUM>. The figure shows the first cutlery article <NUM> in the act of completing its movement downward and outward from the slide track <NUM> and out of the dispenser. The proximal handle end of the bottommost cutlery article <NUM> has fallen below the lower retaining surface <NUM> and is falling toward the slide track <NUM> to replace the first cutlery article <NUM>, while the proximal handle end of the next cutlery article <NUM> in the stack, which was previously retained by the upper retaining surface <NUM> (now withdrawn and not visible in the figure), is falling toward the lower retaining surface <NUM> as the next cutlery article <NUM> is about to become a replacement bottommost cutlery article <NUM>.

<FIG> present an interior view of an embodiment of the present invention that is configured as a knife dispenser <NUM>. Unlike a fork or a spoon, the head portion of a knife, while wider than the handle, is not taller than the handle. For this reason, a knife is not easily retained in the dispensing position by the escapement member <NUM> if it remains in a horizontal orientation. Instead, the knife dispenser <NUM> in the illustrated embodiment includes features that cause the bottommost knife <NUM> to rotate <NUM> degrees about its long axis as it falls toward the slide track <NUM>. The knife thereby is oriented in the slide track <NUM> such that the wider blade of the knife extends upward relative to the handle, and is retained by the lower end of the escapement member <NUM> when the knife reaches the dispensing position.

Specifically, as shown in <FIG>, guide <NUM> and angle guide <NUM> located at the distal end of the dispenser <NUM> are configured to guide the head (i.e. blade) portion of the bottommost knife <NUM> to rest on a knife head retaining surface <NUM>. As can be seen for example in the rear view of <FIG>, the knife head retaining surface <NUM> is configured to contact only a portion of the distal end of the bottommost knife <NUM>. As can be seen for example in <FIG> and <FIG>, the blade of the bottommost knife <NUM> further rests either on or just above a roller <NUM>, which is connected to the dispenser <NUM> by a roller pivot pin <NUM>.

With reference to <FIG> and <FIG>, in some knife dispenser embodiments the first knife <NUM> is pulled from the dispenser <NUM> by a user, causing the bottommost knife <NUM> to be singulated from the stack <NUM> (not shown) of stored knives <NUM>, as described above, by withdrawing lower retaining surface <NUM>, leaving no support holding the proximal, handle end of the bottommost knife <NUM> while the upper retaining surface <NUM> retains the remainder of the stack <NUM>. As can be seen in <FIG>, as the proximal end of the bottommost knife <NUM> begins to fall, the weight of the knife <NUM> forces the roller <NUM>, positioned near a mid-point of the knife, to swivel on roller pivot pin <NUM>, causing the knife <NUM> to rotate from its stacked horizontal position toward a vertical position as the distal, blade end of the knife <NUM> is pulled off of and falls away from the knife head retaining surface <NUM>. <FIG> shows the configuration of <FIG> after a short time interval, where the bottommost knife <NUM> has fallen beyond the roller <NUM> and is in a nearly vertical orientation. It can be seen that as the knife <NUM> continues to fall, it will be guided into a fully vertical orientation by guides <NUM> provided in the slide track <NUM>.

With reference again to <FIG>, embodiments of the cutlery dispenser include a primer lever <NUM> that can be used to actuate the escapement mechanism <NUM> when there is no cutlery article in the dispensing position, thereby "priming" the dispenser by transitioning the bottommost cutlery article <NUM> to the dispensing position. The illustrated embodiment includes a cutout in the external housing that corresponds with the bottom end 157a of the priming lever <NUM>, allowing the lever <NUM> to be accessed and pulled through the cutlery release lever window <NUM> by an operator so as to conveniently feed a starter cutlery article (first cutlery article <NUM>) from the stack <NUM> into the dispensing position when the dispenser <NUM> is initially loaded with cutlery (see for example <FIG>). As discussed above, in embodiments the dispenser can be slid partway out of the base <NUM> so as to gain access to the cutlery release lever window <NUM> and primer lever <NUM>.

<FIG> presents a perspective view of the slide tracks <NUM> for each of the dispensers <NUM> (fork), <NUM> (spoon), and <NUM> (knife) of <FIG>, with a corresponding first cutlery article <NUM> set in the dispensing position on the slide track <NUM>. <FIG> present various top views of the slide track <NUM> of the three dispensers <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM>, each of the slide tracks having a slide channel <NUM> configured to accept at least the handle of a bottommost cutlery article <NUM>, or in the case of a rotated knife the entire length of said knife, including the head. At the distal end of each slide track <NUM>, a retaining surface <NUM> (fork and spoon), <NUM> (knife) is provided for supporting the head of the bottommost cutlery <NUM> of the cutlery stack <NUM> that has been loaded into the dispenser <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM>. The dispensers <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> each have one or more guide skirts <NUM> that are configured to steer the bottommost cutlery <NUM> as it is dropping toward the slide track <NUM> under gravity. <FIG> is a top view of the slide tracks of <FIG>. The guide skirts <NUM> are of suitable size and shape to serve as an alignment guide for the bottommost cutlery article <NUM> as it is released from the cutlery stack <NUM> and conveyed under the influence of gravity into the dispensing position. For the knife dispenser <NUM>, the guide skirts <NUM> also function to complete the rotation of the bottommost fork to a vertical orientation.

As can be seen more clearly in <FIG>, the slide tracks <NUM> for each of the dispensers <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> generally include a central slide channel <NUM> for guiding the bottommost cutlery as it is released and compelled by gravity toward the dispensing position to become the first cutlery article <NUM>. In the illustrated embodiment, slide channel <NUM> is configured to accommodate the handle width of the fork and spoon cutlery articles so as to avoid misalignment or skewing thereof, while adjacent slide surfaces <NUM> are configured to support the head portions of the fork and spoon cutlery articles. In some embodiments, a pair of deflectors <NUM> (see <FIG>) can be provided to keep the handle portion of spoon and fork cutlery articles within central side channel <NUM>.

In preferred embodiments, the slide surface <NUM> and slide channel <NUM> are both set at inclination angles ranging from about <NUM> to about <NUM> degrees. The inclines of the slide surfaces <NUM> and slide channels <NUM> may be configured at different angles from each other within a slide track assembly <NUM>, and can also vary from one type of cutlery article to another depending upon the geometry of the cutlery articles, the mass of the cutlery articles, and the contact area between the cutlery articles and the respective regions of the slide track for controlling or enhancing the sliding of the bottommost cutlery piece. In general, the slide surface <NUM> and slide channel <NUM> can be inclined at an angle ranging between <NUM> degrees and <NUM> degrees. In a specific preferred embodiment, the slide surface <NUM> and/or slide channel <NUM> is set at an incline angle of about <NUM> degrees to assist the sliding of the bottommost cutlery article <NUM> into the dispensing position under gravity. In the case of the knife dispenser <NUM>, the slide channel <NUM> is of an appropriate width to accommodate the thickness of the knife article and maintain the knife article in a rotated orientation edgewise within the slide channel <NUM>.

Embodiments further include a dampening surface <NUM> provided on the floor of the slide channel <NUM> to reduce or limit bouncing of the handle of the bottommost cutlery article <NUM> as it falls and contacts the slide channel <NUM> (see <FIG>). The dampening surface <NUM> can be made of a semi-rigid material that can be flexed or momentarily deformed, thereby reducing or limiting recoil of the falling cutlery handle, and reducing or eliminating skewing and/or bouncing of the bottommost cutlery article <NUM> within the slide track <NUM>. In some embodiments the dampening surface <NUM> is configured as a thin, semi-rigid metal substrate or foil that is suspended above an open area or cavity, thereby allowing for momentary deformation or flexing of the dampening surface for reducing excessive bouncing or skewing of the falling cutlery.

In various embodiments, the slide track mounting includes a pivot <NUM> at its distal end and a latch at its proximal end that is accessible to an operator to allow the entire slide track to swing downward for cleaning and/or maintenance. In embodiments, an access latch <NUM> is located at the proximal end of each slide track <NUM>, thereby providing a means to disengage the proximal end of the slide track from the housing of the dispenser <NUM>, <NUM>, or <NUM>, whereby in conjunction with pivot pin <NUM>, the slide track <NUM> may be partially rotated downward from the dispenser to allow an operator's hands to access the slide track <NUM> for cleaning and/or removal of a trapped cutlery article or any other foreign object.

The slide surfaces <NUM> and/or slide channels <NUM> can be provided at an incline of <NUM>° to <NUM>° from at least the mid-point of the slide track through the proximal end of the slide track <NUM>, so as to allow the cutlery article <NUM> to glide smoothly down the slide surfaces <NUM>, <NUM> under only the influence of gravity, thereby allowing a portion of the handle of the cutlery article <NUM> to exit from the dispensing area <NUM>, so that the positioning of the cutlery article <NUM> in the dispensing position is similar to cutlery article <NUM> shown in <FIG>. As noted previously, the incline of slide surfaces <NUM> and slide channels <NUM> may be configured at different angles from each other within a slide track <NUM> in order to enhance sliding of a bottommost cutlery article <NUM>. In the illustrated embodiment, the slide channels <NUM> for the fork and spoon slide tracks <NUM> are configured on lower planes than the slide surfaces <NUM>, so as to accept the handle of a cutlery article <NUM>, and are provided so as to increase the gravitational pull on the cutlery article as it descends the slide track <NUM>, by directing the cutlery handle at an increased downward angle.

<FIG> illustrate the structure and operation of the low-cutlery indicator <NUM> in embodiments of the present invention. In the illustrated embodiment, the low-cutlery indicator <NUM> includes a contact arm <NUM> and an indicator arm <NUM> which are pivotably interconnected by a pivot <NUM>. <FIG> is a side view that illustrates the indicator <NUM> in its engaged position, wherein the contact arm <NUM> is in contact with the proximal ends of the cutlery <NUM> in the cutlery stack <NUM>, such that the cutlery stack <NUM> holds the distal end of the contact arm <NUM> down, which in turn prevents the indicator arm <NUM> from pivoting about the pivot <NUM>, so that the indicator arm <NUM> is not able to drop downward. In various embodiments the low-cutlery indicator <NUM> can be located as desired within the dispenser <NUM>, <NUM>, or <NUM> and can contact the distal end of the cutlery stack <NUM> or any location between the proximal and distal ends of the cutlery in stack <NUM>. <FIG> is a perspective view of the configuration of <FIG>.

With reference to <FIG>, as the cutlery articles from the stack <NUM> are dispensed, the height of the stack <NUM> decreases until the top of the stack falls below the contact arm <NUM>, as shown in the figure. At this point, because the distal end of the contact arm <NUM> is unfettered by any of the cutlery in the stack <NUM>, the indicator <NUM> is free to pivot about pivot <NUM> to its unengaged position, causing the indicator arm <NUM> to rotate to its resting position, as shown in <FIG>. Once the indicator arm <NUM> rotates to its resting position, the low-cutlery signal <NUM> that is located on the proximal end of the indicator arm becomes visible to an operator or user through the cutlery indicator window <NUM> as shown in <FIG>.

The low-cutlery signal <NUM> thereby provides a visual indication to an operator or user as to whether the cutlery stack <NUM> is at or below a certain level or quantity of cutlery. According to the embodiment, the low-cutlery signal <NUM> can present a single color, such as red, or can present indicia or images to signify a low quantity of cutlery <NUM> within the dispenser. As discussed above, in other embodiments more than one cutlery level indicator <NUM> can be provided in a single dispenser, with each cutlery level indicator <NUM> having its own corresponding cutlery indicator window <NUM>, so as to provide to a user several visual cues as to the quantity of cutlery remaining in the dispenser.

Also visible in <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG> is a handle deflector <NUM> located on each side of the dispenser below the bottommost cutlery article <NUM>. The handle deflector <NUM> is included in embodiments to avoid jamming of the dispenser by helping to guide the handle portion of the bottommost cutlery article <NUM> downward into the slide channel. In addition, a blocking member <NUM> can be seen in <FIG>, C and D. The blocking member <NUM> is pivotally attached to the mounting block <NUM> (see <FIG>), and is configured to swing out with the first cutlery article <NUM> as it is dispensed, thereby preventing a user from pushing the first cutlery article <NUM> back into the dispenser and causing a jam.

In embodiments, the dispenser components can be constructed from metal or plastic depending on their use, functionality, properties, and manufacturing ease and cost. One or more components of the dispensing assembly can be manufactured by at least one of thermoforming, injection molding, compression molding, vacuum forming, pressure forming, hydro forming, or any other known method. In some embodiments the dispensers, base, or any parts thereof may be of any desired color, and may be clear, frosted, or semi-opaque. It should be noted that the term "cutlery" is used broadly herein such that it encompasses any cutlery article or cutlery item, including but not limited, to forks, knives, spoons, and sporks. It should further be noted that the dispensed cutlery can be disposable, e.g. plastic cutlery, or permanent ware, e.g. metal cutlery.

With reference to <FIG> there is shown a perspective view of a compartment base unit <NUM> having a single compartment that can be utilized as a stand-alone base <NUM> for receiving any one of the dispensers <NUM>, <NUM> or <NUM> described herein above for locations where space is limited or the event requires a single cutlery dispenser, such as spoons only for a dessert service. The illustrated compartment base unit <NUM> features side rails <NUM> extending from the front to the back of the compartment base unit <NUM> on either side of the compartment formed by pair of channels or slots <NUM> for receiving the corresponding flanges <NUM> of any of the dispensers as described above with reference to the <NUM>-compartment base <NUM> shown in <FIG>. The assembled, single-compartment base <NUM> also includes a pair of end caps or side plates <NUM> and <NUM> attached to the compartment base unit <NUM>. A second, identical base <NUM>' is shown in the figure, which includes a compartment base unit <NUM>' and a pair of end caps <NUM>', <NUM>'.

<FIG> is a perspective view of a two-compartment base <NUM> in an exemplary embodiment of the invention that is configured by ganging together the first compartment base unit <NUM> of <FIG> with a second base unit <NUM>' of <FIG> through an interconnection feature <NUM>. To configure two compartment base units <NUM>, <NUM>' of the type shown in <FIG> for mutual assembly, the inward-facing end caps <NUM> and <NUM>' are omitted (or removed) and the interconnection feature <NUM> is installed in their place.

<FIG> is a perspective view of an end cap <NUM> in an exemplary embodiment that is equipped with a plurality of attachment features <NUM> configured as snap fits that protrude from an inward-facing surface <NUM> of the end cap <NUM>, the attachment features <NUM> being configured for engagement with corresponding receptacles (<NUM> in <FIG> and <FIG>) provided in compartment base unit <NUM>. The snap fit attachment features <NUM> of the end caps <NUM> and <NUM> allow for easy assembly and disassembly with the compartment base unit <NUM>, so that compartment base unit <NUM> can be customized and ganged together with other base units as needed.

<FIG> is an end perspective view of an interconnection feature <NUM> in an exemplary embodiment, where the interconnection feature <NUM> is equipped with a plurality of snap fits <NUM> that extend outwardly from both sides of a central wall <NUM> of the interconnect feature for engagement with corresponding receptacles <NUM> that are provided in the compartment base units <NUM>, <NUM>'. It will be understood that in embodiments the attachment features can include latches, hooks, interference fit protrusions, hook and loop sections, screws, adhesives, screws, and any other types of attachment features as are known in the art.

Furthermore, it will be clear to those of skill in the art that a plurality of interconnection features <NUM> can be used in between adjacent compartment base units to interconnect together a plurality of compartment base units to provide base configurations having any desired number of compartments, including two, three, four, five, six, or more than six compartments.

<FIG> are perspective assembled and exploded views respectively of a four-compartment base <NUM> obtained by combining two compartment base units <NUM> and <NUM>' using a single interconnection feature <NUM>, where each of the compartment base units <NUM>, <NUM>' provides two compartments.

It will be further understood that the compartment base units that are assemble to provide a multi-compartment base need not be identical to each other. <FIG> are assembled and exploded views, respectively, of a four-compartment base <NUM> obtained by using a single interconnection feature <NUM> to combine a compartment base unit <NUM> having a single compartment with a compartment base unit <NUM> having three compartments. It should therefore be clear that a wide variety of different base configurations can be obtained in various embodiments by selecting compartment base units of various configurations as building blocks, and securing them together by interposing an interconnection feature between each adjoining pair of compartment base units.

Claim 1:
A cutlery dispenser (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) configured to serially dispense a plurality of cutlery articles (<NUM>), each of the cutlery articles having a handle and a head arranged at opposite ends of a long axis of the cutlery article, the head being at least one of wider and taller than the handle, wherein the cutlery dispenser includes:
a housing having a front, a rear, two sides, a top, and a bottom, a front-facing width thereof being smaller than a side facing depth thereof;
a dispenser cavity (<NUM>) located in an upper region of the dispenser within the housing, the dispenser cavity (<NUM>) being configured to contain a vertical stack of the cutlery articles (<NUM>), the vertical stack being terminated at its bottom end by a bottommost cutlery article of the vertical stack; and
an escapement mechanism (<NUM>) configured to retain a first cutlery article of the plurality of cutlery articles in a dispensing position whereby the handle of the first cutlery article extends beyond the front of the dispenser housing, the escapement mechanism being configured such that removal by a user of the first cutlery article from the dispenser by grasping and pulling of the handle thereof actuates the escapement mechanism (<NUM>), causing the bottommost cutlery article to be singulated from the stack and gravitationally transitioned to the dispensing position, while a remainder of the stack is retained in the dispenser cavity, whereby the bottommost cutlery article becomes a replacement first cutlery article, and a next cutlery article in the stack becomes a replacement bottommost cutlery article;
wherein the escapement mechanism comprises at least three pivoting members (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>)interconnected by at least three distinct pivots (164a-d), and
wherein upon being singulated the bottommost cutlery article is gravitationally guided by a downward sloping slide track (<NUM>) to the dispensing position, while a remainder of the vertical stack is retained in the dispenser cavity (<NUM>), and wherein the slide track includes a head channel configured to laterally confine the head of the bottommost cutlery article as the bottommost cutlery article gravitationally slides to the dispensing position, characterized in that the slide track (<NUM>) further includes a slide channel (<NUM>) configured to laterally confine the handle of the bottommost cutlery article.