Cutlery Dispenser Cam Mechanism to Prevent Stack Interlocking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cutlery dispensers fail to provide disposable cutlery in a hygienic, economical, and non-wasteful manner due to design inefficiencies, such as interlocking issues during stacking and the need for expensive cartridge systems, which lead to unreliable and costly dispensing.
Innovation Solution
A cutlery dispenser design that allows for quick and economical loading of disposable cutlery without cartridges, featuring a rotatable cam or rocking cam mechanism for consistent dispensing, along with a banded configuration to maintain alignment and prevent interlocking, enabling reliable and hygienic dispensing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If disposable cutlery is pre-sealed in pouches, then hygiene is improved, but cost increases and waste occurs due to excess packaging
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the cutlery supply into individual dispensable units within a shared container, eliminating the need for separate pouches for each utensil. Customers can take only the number of pieces they need, reducing packaging material while maintaining hygiene through the controlled dispensing mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the cutlery pieces from individual pouches and places them in a communal dispenser with a controlled dispensing mechanism. This removes the excessive packaging while preserving hygiene by allowing customers to take only what they need through a sanitary interface.
2Loss of substance
If cutlery is dispensed in unwrapped form from bins or cups, then cost is reduced, but hygiene deteriorates due to contamination risks
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces a mechanical dispensing mechanism as an intermediary between the cutlery stack and the customer. This mediator maintains hygiene by preventing direct contact between customers and the cutlery stack, while still allowing easy access to individual pieces without excessive packaging.
3Ease of manufacture
If typical disposable cutlery with external ridges is stacked, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but dispensing reliability worsens due to interlocking
Solution Approach 1:
The invention modifies the cutlery design by removing or modifying the external ridges that cause interlocking. This asymmetric change to the traditional design allows pieces to slide past each other smoothly in the stack, enabling reliable dispensing while maintaining cost-effective manufacturing.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If cartridge systems are used for cutlery dispensing, then hygiene is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a simple, non-cartridge dispenser design that can be easily cleaned and reused. Instead of complex disposable cartridges, the system uses a durable dispenser body with a simple dispensing mechanism, reducing device complexity and cost while maintaining hygiene through easy cleaning capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to dispensers for disposable cutlery. The invention also relates to pluralities of disposable cutlery that can be used in the cutlery dispenser of the present invention, as well as other cutlery dispensers that do not use a cartridge therein. The present invention also relates to disposable cutlery that has been adapted to make it better suited to stacking, such as for use in cutlery dispensers that do not include a cartridge.