Interlocking Cutlery Handles for Controlled Single-Item Dispensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Disposable cutlery dispensing systems face issues such as excessive utensil usage, hygiene concerns, time-consuming loading, utensil flipping, and difficulty in dividing coupled utensils, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
Design of utensils with interchangeable surfaces featuring protrusions for separable coupling and decoupling, allowing for relative movement in a specific plane, enabling reliable dispensing and easy division of utensils, reducing waste and improving dispenser functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If disposable cutlery is provided in loose or unpackaged form, then patrons can easily access the cutlery, but patrons may take more cutlery than necessary and hygiene concerns arise
Solution Approach 1:
The cutlery is segmented into individual units within a multi-compartment dispenser, with each compartment holding a stack of utensils. This segmentation allows the dispenser to provide easy access while controlling portion sizes and preventing patrons from taking excessive amounts, as each compartment can be individually accessed and refilled.
2Extent of automation
If disposable cutlery is dispensed from a dispenser containing unsecured loose utensils, then dispensing is automated, but loading the dispenser becomes time-consuming and tedious
Solution Approach 1:
The dispenser is designed with pre-configured compartments and retention features that automatically hold and organize utensils as they are loaded. The retention members and compartment structure perform preliminary organizing actions during loading, eliminating the need for manual arrangement and significantly reducing the time required to restock the dispenser.
3Ease of manufacture
If utensils are stacked loosely in a dispenser, then loading is simple, but utensils may flip or rotate during dispensing causing jamming
Solution Approach 1:
The retention members feature asymmetric geometries with protrusions and recesses that correspond to the shape of the utensil handles. This asymmetric design creates a unique fit that prevents utensils from flipping or rotating during dispensing, while still allowing for straightforward loading by aligning the asymmetric features.
4Stability of the object's composition
If utensils are held together by a retaining device or cartridge, then they are securely packaged, but they cannot be easily divided into smaller groups
Solution Approach 1:
The dispenser is divided into multiple separate compartments, each capable of holding a stack of utensils independently. This segmentation allows the total supply to be divided into smaller groups distributed across compartments, enabling flexible dispensing quantities while maintaining secure packaging within each compartment through retention members.
Data Source
AI summary
A utensil that includes a functional end and a handle associated with the functional end. The handle includes a longitudinal axis, a first surface, and a second surface. The first surface includes at least one protrusion configured to separably couple the utensil to a second utensil. The second surface is configured to receive at least a portion of a third utensil. The at least one protrusion is configured such that the utensil and the second utensil are configured to be at least one of coupled and decoupled with respect to one another via relative movement in a plane parallel to a reference plane that intersects a plane extending between the first and second surfaces.