Cutlery dispenser and related methods

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a cutlery dispenser for dispensing wrapped cutlery. The cutlery dispenser may include a wrapped cutlery band comprising a plurality of cutlery packets separably connected to one another in a serial manner. The cutlery dispenser also may include a nozzle assembly configured to allow the cutlery packets to be dispensed therethrough. The present disclosure also provides a method for dispensing wrapped cutlery. The method may include the step of providing a cutlery dispenser comprising a nozzle assembly and a wrapped cutlery band, wherein the wrapped cutlery band comprises a plurality of cutlery packets separably connected to one another in a serial manner. The method also may include the step of dispensing the cutlery packets through the nozzle assembly.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A nozzle assembly for dispensing wrapped cutlery, the nozzle assembly comprising:
 a nozzle configured to allow a wrapped cutlery band to be dispensed therethrough, the wrapped cutlery band comprising a plurality of cutlery packets separably connected to one another in a serial manner;   wherein the nozzle defines an orifice extending therethrough and configured to expand to allow the cutlery packets to be pulled therethrough.   
     
     
         2 . The nozzle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the nozzle is configured such that a pulling force required to pull one of the cutlery packets therethrough is greater than a tensile force required to separate adjacent cutlery packets. 
     
     
         3 . The nozzle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the nozzle is formed of an elastomeric material configured to expand to allow the cutlery packets to be pulled through the orifice. 
     
     
         4 . The nozzle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the nozzle comprises a first nozzle portion and a second nozzle portion separate from the first nozzle portion, and wherein the first nozzle portion and the second nozzle portion each define a portion of the orifice. 
     
     
         5 . The nozzle assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a housing defining an opening extending therethrough and configured to allow the cutlery packets to be pulled through the opening, wherein the nozzle is attached to the housing and disposed about or within the opening. 
     
     
         6 . A nozzle assembly for dispensing wrapped cutlery, the nozzle assembly comprising:
 a nozzle configured to allow a wrapped cutlery band to be dispensed therethrough, the wrapped cutlery band comprising a plurality of cutlery packets separably connected to one another in a serial manner;   wherein the nozzle comprises a first nozzle portion and a second nozzle portion separate from the first nozzle portion; and   wherein the first nozzle portion and the second nozzle portion are configured to separate to allow the cutlery packets to be dispensed therebetween.   
     
     
         7 . The nozzle assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the nozzle is configured such that a pulling force required to pull one of the cutlery packets therethrough is greater than a tensile force required to separate adjacent cutlery packets. 
     
     
         8 . The nozzle assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the first nozzle portion and the second nozzle portion define an orifice therebetween. 
     
     
         9 . The nozzle assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the first nozzle portion and the second nozzle portion are formed of an elastomeric material. 
     
     
         10 . The nozzle assembly of  claim 6 , further comprising a housing defining an opening extending therethrough and configured to allow the cutlery packets to be pulled through the opening, wherein the nozzle is attached to the housing and disposed about or within the opening. 
     
     
         11 . A cutlery dispenser for dispensing wrapped cutlery, the cutlery dispenser comprising:
 a case configured to move from a closed configuration into an open configuration;   a wrapped cutlery band disposed within the case and configured to be dispensed therefrom when the case is in the closed configuration, wherein the wrapped cutlery band comprises a plurality of cutlery packets separably connected to one another in a serial manner; and   a nozzle attached to the case and configured to allow the cutlery packets to be pulled therethrough.   
     
     
         12 . The cutlery dispenser of  claim 11 , wherein the nozzle defines an orifice extending therethrough and configured to expand to allow the cutlery packets to be pulled therethrough. 
     
     
         13 . The cutlery dispenser of  claim 12 , wherein the nozzle is configured such that a pulling force required to pull one of the cutlery packets therethrough is greater than a tensile force required to separate adjacent cutlery packets. 
     
     
         14 . The cutlery dispenser of  claim 12 , wherein the nozzle is formed of an elastomeric material configured to expand to allow the cutlery packets to be pulled through the orifice. 
     
     
         15 . The cutlery dispenser of  claim 11 , wherein the nozzle comprises a first nozzle portion and a second nozzle portion separate from the first nozzle portion, and wherein the first nozzle portion and the second nozzle portion are configured to separate to allow the cutlery packets to be dispensed therebetween. 
     
     
         16 . The cutlery dispenser of  claim 15 , wherein the case comprises a base and a lid configured to move with respect to the base to move the case from the closed configuration into the open configuration, wherein the first nozzle portion is attached to the base, and wherein the second nozzle portion is attached to the lid. 
     
     
         17 . The cutlery dispenser of  claim 11 , wherein the case comprises a base, a lid configured to move with respect to the base to move the case from the closed configuration into the open configuration, and an opening defined between the base and the lid when the case is in the closed configuration and configured to allow the cutlery packets to be dispensed through the opening. 
     
     
         18 . The cutlery dispenser of  claim 11 , wherein each cutlery packet comprises a pouch and a cutlery utensil disposed within the pouch. 
     
     
         19 . The cutlery dispenser of  claim 18 , wherein the cutlery utensil comprises a head and a handle, and wherein the nozzle is configured such that a pulling force required to pull the head through the nozzle is greater than a tensile force required to separate adjacent cutlery packets. 
     
     
         20 . The cutlery dispenser of  claim 19 , wherein the nozzle is configured such that a pulling force required to pull the handle through the nozzle is less than the tensile force required to separate adjacent cutlery packets.