Patent Document

INDEX TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application 61/760,316 filed on Feb. 4, 2013, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention is primarily used in a kitchen environment of a restaurant in the area where soiled dishes and silverware are returned to the kitchen for cleaning or dishwashing. In this dishwasher area, typically a busboy or other personal would deposit soiled dishes and soiled silverware for the dishwasher to clean. The soiled dishes are stacked on a soiled dish table. The flatware is often deposited in a soaking bin. This soaking bin is often portable and located on wheels under the soiled dish table. However, since the busboy is often in a hurry, placing the soiled dishes on the soiled dish table is relatively easy since the table is in full view. The flatware soaking bin is located below the soiled dish table and therefore inadvertently when the soiled flatware is being deposited in the soaking bin, oftentimes the flatware misses the soaking bin and ends up on the floor. This caused the soiled flatware to get dirtier and causes a mess on the floor taking more time for the personal to clean and pick up. What is needed is a better and quicker way to deposit the soiled flatware in the soaking bin and to make sure all the flatware goes into the soaking bin. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The present invention is an under counter chute for directing soiled silverware or flatware to a flatware soaking bin located under a soiled dish table. The chute is removably clasped to a soiled dish table. The chute as a first open end and a second open end and is aligned such that when soiled flatware is deposited in the first end, the soiled flatware is directed through the chute out the second end to fall in a utensil soaking bin located under the soiled dish table and just below the second end of the chute. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0004]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the utensil chute of the present invention. 
           [0005]      FIG. 2  is sectional view of the utensil chute from  FIG. 1  along line A-A. 
           [0006]      FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view of the utensil chute mounted on a soiled dish table with a utensil soaking bin under the soiled dish table. 
           [0007]      FIG. 4  is an end view of the chute mounted on one end of a soiled dish table which is shown in a perspective view with the utensil soaking bin under the table and the end of the chute to receive the utensils. 
           [0008]      FIG. 5  is an alternate embodiment shown as a sectional view similar to  FIG. 3 , where the hook is designed to engage a different type of soiled dish table having a bull nose edge. 
           [0009]      FIG. 6  is an alternate embodiment shown as a sectional view similar to  FIG. 2 , where the hook is shown as a separate part so that the chute can be modified to hook on to a soiled dish table with either type of bull nose edging. 
           [0010]      FIG. 7  is a modified version of the alternate embodiment as shown in  FIG. 5 , where the hook engages the entire bull nose edge of the table and includes an extension that extends laterally along a portion of the top of the table. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0011]    A description of the preferred embodiment is set forth herein and in the accompanying drawings. 
         [0012]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , chute  10  has four walls connected on the longitudinal edges, a bottom wall  12 , an opposed top wall  14 , and opposed side walls  16  and  18 . Walls  12 ,  14 ,  16  and  18  form an elongated chute, a channel or passageway  19  down which falling material is guided. Said chute  10  has a first end  20  and a second end  22  at opposite ends of the chute  10 . Top wall  14 , close to or part of the first end  20  has as a part thereof or attached thereto a mounting hook or flange  24 . Flange  24  is generally “U” shaped and is attached or extends from top wall  14  to form a bracket to removably secure chute  10  to a surface. Chute  10  thus has a body portion  15  and a flange  24 . A first chute side  26  of flange  24  is formed with and a part of or attached to wall  14 . A second table side  28  of flange  24  is spaced apart from chute side  26  and wall  14 . The top portion  30  of flange  24  is generally “U” shaped or other shape to conform to a surface to which it attaches. 
         [0013]    As seen in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , chute  10  attaches to a soiled dish table  32 . Table  32 , when used, has placed thereon to its surfaces  34  soiled dishes (not shown). Said dishes are typically returned, by a busboy, to the soiled dish table  32  after dishes used in a restaurant (for example) have been soiled and need to be cleaned. The busboy typically collects or gathers dishes and eating utensils and glasses or cups, after use, from the dining tables where people are eating. The busboy then deposits the soiled dishes on the soiled dish table  32  and utensils, such as silverware or flatware are deposited into a utensil soaking bin  36 . Alternatively in a self-serve cafeteria or dining room, patrons may return eating trays with soiled dishes and eating utensils. Similarly the utensils would be deposited into a soaking bin  36  by inserting the utensils to slide down chute  10 . 
         [0014]    Chute  10  is attached to an edge of a surface such as table  32  which has an edge  33  such that flange  24  securely supports chute  10  on table  32  at edge  33 . The top  30  of flange  24  conforms to edge  33 , the inside portion of side  28  is against the top of surface  34  and the chute side  26  of flange  24  is against the bottom of surface  34  at and near edge  33 . Chute  10  is thus held against edge  33  and the underside surface of surface  34  such that chute  10  is orientated at an angle to the ground whereby chute  10  has a downward slope from first end  20  to second end  22 . First end  10  being higher from the ground than second end  20 . As seen in  FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  5 , chute  10  has a downward slope such that items placed into first end  20  will pass down through passageway  19  of chute  20  and out second end  22 . 
         [0015]    As seen in  FIG. 3 , table  32  has legs  40  extending from the bottom of table  32  to the ground  11 , to support table  32 . Table  32  typically includes a retaining wall  42  so water and other materials are contained within table  32  and do not fall to the ground  11 . Below table  32 , soaking bin  36  typically contains a liquid soaking solution  44  held within the walls  46  of bin  36 . Bin  36  is supported by legs  48  typically on wheels  50 , since bin  36  is often moved within the kitchen area of a restaurant from the collection point below table  32  to the dishwasher in order to empty the utensils there from. 
         [0016]    In use, bin  36  is located below table  32  and chute  10  is attached to the edge  33  of table  32 . Chute  10  is aligned along edge  33  so that second end  22  of chute  10  is above bin  36 . Flange  24  of chute  10  is placed on edge  33  and can be slideably moved along said edge to align the end  22  with bin  36 . When the busboy or other personal return soiled dishes and utensils, the utensils are placed into chute  10  at first end  20  where the utensils will pass through passageway  19  through chute  10  and out second end  22  and the utensils will drop into bin  36  and into a cleaning or disinfecting solution  44 . 
         [0017]    As seen in  FIG. 5 , an alternate embodiment of flange  24 ′ can be seen where flange  24 ′ conforms to a portion of retaining wall  42 , yet chute  10 ′ is still maintained in a sloped position where first end  20 ′ is above second end  22 ′ and the slope of passageway  19 ′ is downward and utensils placed in passageway  19 ′ will exit out end  22 ′ and slide into bin  36 . Top wall  14 ′ and bottom wall  12 ′ are generally parallel to each other. 
         [0018]    Passageway  19  has a slope as shown in  FIG. 1  of x over y, said slope is less than the value of 1.0. Longitudinal line B-B is orientated along the length of chute  10  and passageway  19  within chute  10 . Along line B-B, x is the vertical distance relative to the difference in height from the ground of first end  20  to second end  22  and y is the horizontal distance between first end  20  and second end  22 . These relationships may be similar in all of the embodiments of the invention. 
         [0019]    In  FIG. 6 , an alternate embodiment of chute  10 ″ is shown having a body portion  15 ″ and an attachable flange portion  24 ″. In this alternate embodiment, a flange  24 ″ can be attached that is designed to conform to the edge  33  of table  32 . Preferably a chute  10 ″ may be sold or packaged with one or more flanges  24 ″ to allow chute  10 ″ to be attachable to one of several designs of table  32 . Flange  24 ″ is securely attached to wall  14 ″ near first end  20 ″ by three threaded studs  58  welded to flange  24 ″ on the inside edge  26  of the chute  10 ″. The welded threaded studs  58  are secured by a cap nut  54  or the like and hold body portion  12  to flange  24 ″. One or more openings  56  in the wall  14 ″ of flange  24 ″ would be aligned with corresponding threaded studs  58 . Nut  54  would be a cap nut, nut, locking nut or other fastener as known in the art. The threaded studs  58  would preferably be even with or protrude as little as possible from the table side  26  of flange  24 ″ and likewise, fastener  54  would protrude into passageway  19  as little as possible. The fastener  54  would preferably be rounded as to allow minimal interference with anything coming down the chute  10 ″. The first end  20 ″ and the second end  22 ″ would still be at an angle to permit flatware and the like to slide down the passageway  19 ″ of the chute  10 ″. Alternatively, the flange  24 ″ can be welded directly to the chute  10 ″ as shown in  FIG. 6 , without use of the studs and nuts. 
         [0020]    As seen in  FIG. 7 , an alternate embodiment of flange  24 A can be seen where flange  24 A conforms to the entirety of retaining wall  42  and includes a contiguous lateral extension  50  which extends over a portion of the table top  34 . This would give the chute  10 A greater stability as well as the ability to handle a greater weight of silverware, flatware and the like as they pass through the passageway  19 A. Chute  10 A is still maintained in a sloped position where first end  20 A is above second end  22 A and the slope of passageway  19 A is downward. Thus utensils placed in the first opening  20 A will slide down passageway  19 A and exit out second end  22 A and egress into bin  36 . Top wall  14 A and bottom wall  12 A are generally parallel to each other. 
         [0021]    Chute  10  is preferably constructed of stainless steel though other materials can be used. In a preferred embodiment, passageway  19  of chute  10  has an internal width ‘w’ of about 9-11 inches, wall  12  has a length ‘L1’ of about 19-21 inches, wall  14  has a length ‘L2’ of about 17-19 inches, side  28  of flange  24  has a length ‘L3’ of about 10-12 inches and passageway  19  has an internal height ‘h’ of about 3-7 inches. The distance between ‘L2’ and ‘L3’ is about 1-2 inches. The above dimensions may be changed to allow the chute to be employed with different table structures or other horizontal surfaces. 
         [0022]    While the invention has been described in its preferred form or embodiment with some degree of particularity, it is understood that this description has been given only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction, sizes, fabrication, and use, including the combination and arrangement of parts, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Technology Category: 7