A recyclable and dispensable hygienic cutlery utensil comprises a handle portion and head portion. The handle portion provides suitable area for gripping and includes a chamfer on its proximal end that creates handle gaps between adjacent proximal handle ends in a vertical stack, thereby facilitating a predictable release from a utensil dispenser. The handle further includes nesting features that nest with adjacent cutlery articles in a stack, and planar surfaces that are in mutual contact with the adjacent cutlery articles in the stack. The head portion is formed into the shape of a common cutlery utensil such as: knife with large radius, tapered knife with large radius, spoon, set of tines (fork), and spoon-fork combination, to name a few. Typically, in use, a set of identical utensils is stacked and then inserted into an automated dispensing system.

A dispensing apparatus of hygiene products including dispensing of feminine pads and tampons activated by non-contact sensor. The dispensing apparatus including a back portion, a side portion coupled to the back portion, and a housing door movably coupled to the side portion. A module is rotatably coupled to the housing and includes a tray and at least one tray door assembly operatively coupled to the tray. The tray door assembly defines an interior space with the tray, wherein the interior space stores the hygiene products to be dispensed.

A dispensing apparatus of hygiene products including dispensing of feminine pads and tampons activated by non-contact sensor. The dispensing apparatus including a back portion, a side portion coupled to the back portion, and a housing door movably coupled to the side portion. A module is rotatably coupled to the housing and includes a tray and at least one tray door assembly operatively coupled to the tray. The tray door assembly defines an interior space with the tray, wherein the interior space stores the hygiene products to be dispensed.

An escapement mechanism of a cutlery dispenser causes a cutlery article to fall from a vertical stack onto a slide track that guides it to a dispensing position. A slide channel and head channel of the slide track can laterally confine the cutlery article. A dampening surface can reduce cutlery bouncing and skewing. The escapement mechanism can include at least three pivots and/or a coil return spring. Dispensers can be installed in a base in any desired combination and retained therein by compatible features such as flanges and slots that prevent dispenser tipping. In embodiments, individual dispensers can be horizontally slid part-way out of the base to access side features that would otherwise be obscured by a neighboring dispenser. A cutlery quantity indicator can laterally contact the cutlery stack and can pivot to display a low-cutlery signal when the cutlery stack falls below an indicator height.

An escapement mechanism of a cutlery dispenser causes a cutlery article to fall from a vertical stack onto a slide track that guides it to a dispensing position. A slide channel and head channel of the slide track can laterally confine the cutlery article. A dampening surface can reduce cutlery bouncing and skewing. The escapement mechanism can include at least three pivots and/or a coil return spring. Dispensers can be installed in a base in any desired combination and retained therein by compatible features such as flanges and slots that prevent dispenser tipping. In embodiments, individual dispensers can be horizontally slid part-way out of the base to access side features that would otherwise be obscured by a neighboring dispenser. A cutlery quantity indicator can laterally contact the cutlery stack and can pivot to display a low-cutlery signal when the cutlery stack falls below an indicator height.

An escapement mechanism of a cutlery dispenser causes a cutlery article to fall from a vertical stack onto a slide track that guides it to a dispensing position. A slide channel and head channel of the slide track can laterally confine the cutlery article. A dampening surface can reduce cutlery bouncing and skewing. The escapement mechanism can include at least three pivots and/or a coil return spring. Dispensers can be installed in a base in any desired combination and retained therein by compatible features such as flanges and slots that prevent dispenser tipping. In embodiments, individual dispensers can be horizontally slid part-way out of the base to access side features that would otherwise be obscured by a neighboring dispenser. A cutlery quantity indicator can laterally contact the cutlery stack and can pivot to display a low-cutlery signal when the cutlery stack falls below an indicator height.

An escapement mechanism of a cutlery dispenser causes a cutlery article to fall from a vertical stack onto a slide track that guides it to a dispensing position. A slide channel and head channel of the slide track can laterally confine the cutlery article. A dampening surface can reduce cutlery bouncing and skewing. The escapement mechanism can include at least three pivots and/or a coil return spring. Dispensers can be installed in a base in any desired combination and retained therein by compatible features such as flanges and slots that prevent dispenser tipping. In embodiments, individual dispensers can be horizontally slid part-way out of the base to access side features that would otherwise be obscured by a neighboring dispenser. A cutlery quantity indicator can laterally contact the cutlery stack and can pivot to display a low-cutlery signal when the cutlery stack falls below an indicator height.

The present application provides a merchandiser for dispensing a number of products. The merchandiser may include an ambient compartment with a number of ambient product columns with a number of ambient products therein, an X-Y drive device positioned beneath the ambient compartment, and a temperature controlled compartment positioned beneath the X-Y drive device, the temperature controlled compartment including a number of temperature controlled product columns with a number of temperature controlled products therein. The X-Y drive device receives an ambient product from one of the ambient product columns of the ambient compartment and delivers the ambient product to one of the temperature controlled product columns of the temperature controlled compartment.

The present application provides a merchandiser for dispensing a number of products. The merchandiser may include an ambient compartment with a number of ambient product columns with a number of ambient products therein, an X-Y drive device positioned beneath the ambient compartment, and a temperature controlled compartment positioned beneath the X-Y drive device, the temperature controlled compartment including a number of temperature controlled product columns with a number of temperature controlled products therein. The X-Y drive device receives an ambient product from one of the ambient product columns of the ambient compartment and delivers the ambient product to one of the temperature controlled product columns of the temperature controlled compartment.

Recyclable and dispensable hygienic cutlery utensil. A preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a handle portion and head portion. The handle portion provides suitable area for gripping and includes a chamfer on its outer edge for facilitating a predictable release from a utensil dispenser. The head portion is formed into the shape of a common cutlery utensil such as: knife with large radius, tapered knife with large radius, spoon, set of tines (fork), and spoon-fork combination, to name a few. The head portion also includes an escapement feature in its outer edge for facilitating controlled release from the bottom of a stack of utensils. The escapement feature can include a notch or predetermined release radius. Typically in use, a set of utensils is stacked, forming a cartridge which is then inserted into an automated dispensing system.