Chopstick removal device

Abstract

To provide a chopstick take-out device capable of efficiently and hygienically taking out chopsticks one by one or only the intended number of chopsticks. [Solution] The chopstick removal device comprises a storage section 2 that stores multiple chopsticks 12, a sloped section that narrows the bottom of the storage section, a groove section located at the bottom end of the sloped section that has a width and length sufficient for one chopstick to pass through, and a push rod section that pushes chopsticks that have fallen into the groove section out of the storage section through a chopstick opening 11 in the groove section.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to a device that can efficiently remove chopsticks. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, there has been a demand for devices that allow efficient chopstick dispensing in restaurants and homes. Conventional chopstick dispensers require chopsticks to be dispensed directly by hand, which poses hygiene issues. Furthermore, when attempting to dispense multiple chopsticks at once, it can be difficult to do so (see Patent Document 1). For this reason, there is a need for a device that allows chopsticks to be dispensed easily and hygienically.

[0003] This invention aims to solve these problems by providing a device that allows for efficient and hygienic removal of chopsticks. This device has a mechanism that can store multiple chopsticks and remove them individually as needed. Furthermore, the device's structure is simplified to make it easy for users to operate. This is expected to make it easier to remove chopsticks in restaurants and at home. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2016-36700 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention aims to provide a chopstick dispenser that can efficiently and hygienically dispense chopsticks one by one or only the intended number of chopsticks. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The chopstick dispenser of this invention is characterized by comprising a storage section for storing multiple chopsticks, a sloped section that narrows the lower part of the storage section, a groove section located at the lower end of the sloped section and having a width and length that allows one chopstick to pass through, and a push rod section that pushes the chopsticks that have fallen into the groove out of the storage section through the chopstick opening of the groove section.

[0007] The push rod is accommodated in a push rod accommodating section that is connected to an accommodating section on the opposite side of the chopstick opening in the groove, and the push rod can freely advance and retreat relative to the groove.

[0008] The groove has a depth sufficient to accommodate two chopsticks, and the push rod simultaneously pushes the two chopsticks that have fallen into the groove out of the accommodation section through the chopstick openings of the groove.

[0009] The push rod housing is provided with a biasing member that biases the push rod.

[0010] This chopstick dispenser is characterized by having a lid portion attached to the upper opening of the storage portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] This device comprises a storage compartment for storing multiple chopsticks, a sloped section narrowing the bottom of the storage compartment, a groove located at the bottom of the sloped section with a width and length sufficient for one chopstick to pass through, and a push rod that pushes chopsticks that fall into the groove out of the storage compartment through the chopstick opening of the groove, allowing chopsticks to be removed cleanly and with ease without touching them. The sloped section naturally guides the chopsticks into the groove, and the push rod allows the required number of chopsticks to be removed individually. Furthermore, the sloped angle and groove size can be adjusted, allowing for flexible use with chopsticks of various sizes and materials. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a chopstick dispenser according to one embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the push rod portion and the push rod housing portion of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the internal structure. [Figure 4] FIG. 1A is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the push rod portion before extrusion, and FIG. 1B is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the push rod portion after extrusion. [Figure 5] 1A is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of a push rod portion equipped with a biasing member before being pushed out, and FIG. 1B is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of a push rod portion equipped with a biasing member after being pushed out. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The chopstick dispenser according to one embodiment of the present invention allows users to remove chopsticks from the chopstick case via a mechanism attached to the chopstick case, without having to grab the chopsticks directly with their bare hands. In particular, it is expected to reduce the psychological impact of third parties touching the tips of the chopsticks inside the chopstick case.

[0014] As can be seen from the external appearance shown in the overall perspective view of Figure 1, the chopstick take-out device 1 of this embodiment has a box-shaped housing overall, with a plurality of chopsticks 12 stored in a storage section 2. A lid section 8 is provided on the top surface 42 of the storage section 2, protecting the chopsticks 12 in the storage section 2 from dust and the like. In this embodiment, the lid section 8 is connected to the main body section 40 of the storage section 2 via a hinge 7. The mechanism of the hinge 7 allows the lid section 8 to be easily opened and closed relative to the top surface 42 of the storage section 2. In the chopstick take-out device 1 of this embodiment, a chopstick opening 11 is formed in a side surface section 41 of the main body section 40 located in the longitudinal direction of the chopsticks 12, and the handle side of the chopsticks 12 protrudes as shown in Figure 1 due to the operating principle described below.

[0015] Figure 2 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the side opposite to the side where the chopstick opening 11 is formed of the chopstick take-out device 1 of this embodiment. The main body 40 of the chopstick take-out device 1 is further provided with a push rod housing 6. A push rod 5 is connected to the push rod housing 6 so that it can move back and forth. The push rod 5 is composed of a knob 9 and a rod 10. The push rod 5 is a member for pushing the chopsticks 12 out of the housing 2 from the chopstick opening 11. The operating principle of the push rod 5 will be described later with reference to Figure 4.

[0016] Figure 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the storage section 2 of the chopstick take-out device 1 of this embodiment. As can be seen from Figure 3, an inclined section 4 is formed that narrows the lower part of the storage section 2 of the chopstick take-out device 1. A groove section 3 is formed at the lower end 61 of the inclined section 4. A plurality of chopsticks 12 stored in the storage section 2 naturally move downward by their own weight through the inclined section 4, and are eventually guided one by one into the groove section 3. The groove section 3 has a width W that allows one chopstick 12 to pass through with ease.

[0017] Furthermore, the groove 3 has a length equivalent to one chopstick 12 in the longitudinal direction below the storage section 2. Therefore, when removing chopsticks 12 from the storage section 2, only the chopsticks 12 to be removed are selected. Furthermore, the depth d of the groove 3 itself corresponds to the depth of two chopsticks 12 when stacked as shown in Figure 3. In other words, the chopstick removal device 1 of this embodiment guides one person's worth of chopsticks 12 (two chopsticks (one pair)) into the groove 3 at a time.

[0018] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the push rod storage section 6 in the chopstick takeout device 1 of this embodiment. FIG. 4(A) shows the state before the push rod 5 is activated. As explained in FIG. 3, two chopsticks 12 are stored in the groove section 3 via the inclined section 4. In other words, these two chopsticks 12 are the chopsticks 12 that are pushed out of the chopstick takeout device 1. Once the two chopsticks 12 have fallen into the groove section 3, the user (not shown) of the chopstick takeout device 1 grasps the knob section 9 of the push rod 5 and moves the rod section 10 of the push rod 5 so as to press it against the chopsticks 12. The rod section 10 of the push rod 5 is in contact with the guide block 30 and can slide back and forth (up and down on the paper surface of FIG. 4). The guide block 30 makes it easy to align the push rod 5 when pushing it into the groove section 3 of the storage section 2.

[0019] Figure 4(B) shows the state in which the stick portion 10 has been pushed into the groove portion 3 of the storage portion 2 through the knob portion 9 of the pushing stick portion 5. As the stick portion 10 enters the groove portion 3, the tip portion 31 of the stick portion 10 comes into contact with the chopsticks 12, pushing the chopsticks 12 out of the groove portion 3 and causing the chopsticks 12 to protrude from the chopstick opening 11. As mentioned above, two chopsticks 12 are stored in the groove portion 3, so that by operating the pushing stick portion 5 once, two chopsticks 12 are simultaneously taken out of the chopstick takeout device 1. Thus, the user of the chopstick takeout device 1 can take out only the handle side of the chopsticks 12 they want to use from the chopstick takeout device 1 without touching the other chopsticks 12, providing a sense of hygienic security.

[0020] The cross-sectional view of Figure 5 shows an embodiment in which a biasing member is provided on the push rod 5. In the illustrated embodiment, a coil spring 14 (helical spring) is used as the biasing member. Of course, in addition to the illustrated coil spring 14, various spring members such as leaf springs and bamboo shoot springs, as well as rubber cords, may also be used as the biasing member. In the illustrated embodiment, a washer 13 is provided on the rod portion 10 of the push rod 5, and the coil spring 14 is held between the washer 13 and a guide block 30.

[0021] Figure 5(A) shows the state before the push rod 5 is activated. The rod 10 of the push rod 5 is in a retracted position away from the groove 3 of the storage section 2 due to the biasing force of the coil spring 14, which serves as a biasing member. The tip 31 of the rod 10 is located inside the guide block 30. Figure 5(B) shows the state during operation of the push rod 5. The push rod 5 advances (is pushed in) toward the push rod storage section 6 against the biasing force of the coil spring 14, which serves as a biasing member. The principle of pushing out the chopsticks 12 is the same as that shown in Figure 4(B). After the chopsticks 12 protrude from the chopstick opening 11 and are removed by the user, when the grip part 9 of the push rod 5 is released, the rod 10 is pulled by the washer 13 due to the biasing force of the coil spring 14 and retracts from the groove 3, automatically returning to its original position.

[0022] 5, the biasing member is provided in the push rod housing 6, so there is no need to return the push rod 5 to its original position, and the chopsticks 12 can be easily removed from the chopstick take-out device 1 by simply pushing in the push rod 5. Note that the type and location of the biasing member in the push rod housing 6 are not limited to those shown in the figure and may be any appropriate arrangement.

[0023] To supplement the illustrations and explanations given above, the storage section 2 provides a space capable of storing multiple pairs of chopsticks 12, with a storage capacity of, for example, about 20 to 30 pairs. Plastic, metal, wood, etc. are suitable materials for the chopsticks, as they are both durable and hygienic.

[0024] The inclined portion 4 is formed continuously below the storage portion 2 and serves to naturally guide the chopsticks 12 into the groove portion 3 by gravity. The angle of inclination is preferably set to about 30 to 45 degrees so that the chopsticks 12 can slide down smoothly.

[0025] The chopstick opening 11 is located at one end of the groove 3 and is an opening for allowing the chopsticks 12 to protrude to the outside. The chopstick opening 11 is formed in the side surface 41 of the main body 40 and is sized to allow the chopsticks 12 to pass through when they are protruded from the groove 3 by operating the push rod 5.

[0026] The push rod housing 6 is provided integrally or separately on the side surface 41 of the main body 40, and is a member that supports the push rod 5 so that it can move forward and backward relative to the groove 3. The push rod 5 is inserted inside the push rod housing 6, and is provided in communication with the housing 2, so that the push rod 5 can move in the direction corresponding to the groove 3.

[0027] The groove 3 is located at the lower end 61 of the inclined portion 4, and has a width w (about 5 to 7 mm) and length (about 200 to 250 mm) that allow one chopstick 12 to pass through.

[0028] For example, if the diameter of the chopsticks 12 is about 6 mm, the depth d of the groove 3 is set to about 12 to 14 mm, so that two chopsticks 12 can be accommodated in a state where they are stacked one above the other.

[0029] The push rod 5 is a component for pushing chopsticks 12 that have fallen into the groove 3 out of the device through a chopstick opening 11 provided at one end of the groove 3, and is made of a lightweight and durable material (e.g., plastic, metal, or wood).

[0030] The biasing material is not limited to the coil spring 14, and may be, for example, a rubber elastic body, etc. This ensures that the push rod 5 automatically returns to the retracted position after moving forward.

[0031] In addition, the lid portion 8 is a member that covers the upper surface portion 42 of the storage portion 2, and in addition to the hinge 7 shown in the figure, a rail groove (not shown) may be formed in the upper surface portion 42 to allow the lid portion 8 to slide along the rail groove.

[0032] The following examples of use are examples of embodiments of the present invention.

[0033] Chopstick dispenser 1 is installed on a counter in a restaurant and is used by customers to dispense their own chopsticks 12. Chopsticks 12 are stored in storage section 2 beforehand, and customers can manually operate push rod section 5 to dispense the chopsticks 12 they need individually from the handle side. The angle of inclined section 4 is adjustable, so chopsticks 12 move smoothly into groove section 3. The size of groove section 3 is also adjustable, so it can accommodate chopsticks 12 of various sizes. By keeping lid section 8 closed when not in use, chopsticks 12 can be kept hygienic.

[0034] Furthermore, in buffet-style restaurants and employee cafeterias where a large number of chopsticks 12 need to be supplied at a constant rhythm, the effort required for replenishing chopsticks is reduced, which also contributes to reducing the workload of employees. [Explanation of symbols]

[0035] 1. Chopstick removal device 2. Storage section 3 Groove 4 Slope 5 Push rod 6 Push rod storage section 7 Hinge 8 Lid 9 Knob 10 Rod part 11 Chopstick opening 12 chopsticks 13 Washer 14 Spring 30 Guiding Blocks 31 Tip 40 Main body 41 Side part 42 Top part 61 Bottom end W width d depth

Claims

1. A storage section for storing a plurality of chopsticks; an inclined portion that narrows the lower portion of the storage portion; a groove located at the lower end of the inclined portion and having a width and length sufficient for one chopstick to pass through; and a push rod portion that pushes the chopsticks that have fallen into the groove portion outward from the chopstick opening of the groove portion to the outside of the storage portion. A chopstick dispenser characterized by:

2. 2. The chopstick take-out device according to claim 1, wherein the push rod is accommodated in a push rod accommodating section connected to the accommodating section on the opposite side of the chopstick opening of the groove, and the push rod can freely advance and retreat relative to the groove.

3. 2. The chopstick take-out device according to claim 1, wherein the groove has a depth sufficient to accommodate two chopsticks, and the push rod simultaneously pushes the two chopsticks that have fallen into the groove outward from the chopstick opening of the groove and outward from the accommodation section.

4. 3. The chopstick take-out device according to claim 2, wherein the push rod housing is provided with a biasing member for biasing the push rod.

5. The chopstick take-out device according to claim 1, wherein a lid is provided on the upper opening of the storage section.

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