Utensils for Stacking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional utensil dispensers face challenges in reliably dispensing utensils one at a time, often resulting in jamming and unnecessary utensil usage due to loose stacking and flipping, which compromises their functionality and increases costs.
Innovation Solution
The design of cutlery utensils with a raised spine and recessed channels on the handle, allowing for stable stacking and secure dispensing, featuring a handle with varying spine height and depth, and recessed channels that nest to maintain orientation and prevent unintended dispensing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional utensils are loosely stacked in dispensers, then loading is easier, but utensils flip or rotate during dispensing causing jamming
Solution Approach 1:
The utensils are designed with nesting features including recessed channels in one utensil that receive raised spines of adjacent utensils. This nested configuration allows utensils to be stacked tightly together in the dispenser while maintaining their orientation, preventing flipping or rotation during dispensing, and eliminating jamming issues.
2Ease of operation
If utensils are loosely received in dispenser, then loading is simpler, but multiple utensils are unintentionally dispensed at once
Solution Approach 1:
The nested design with interlocking raised spines and recessed channels creates a stable stack where utensils are held firmly in place. This prevents multiple utensils from being accidentally dispensed at once, while the simple loading process remains intact as utensils can still be easily placed into the dispenser.
3Reliability
If utensils are stacked to maintain orientation, then dispensing reliability improves, but stack height increases
Solution Approach 1:
The nested configuration with recessed channels and raised spines allows utensils to be stacked vertically in a compact arrangement. The interlocking features maintain orientation and prevent flipping while keeping the stack height minimized, as utensils nest within each other rather than requiring additional horizontal space.
Data Source
AI summary
A cutlery utensil that include a functional section and a handle. The handle can include a raised spine disposed on a first surface of the handle and having a height that varies from a first end of the handle in the direction of the functional section. At least one recessed channel can be formed in a second surface of the utensil, the second surface of the utensil being opposite the first surface of the utensil, wherein the recessed channel has a depth that varies from the first end of the handle in the direction of the functional section.