Patent Application
20210401203
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The disclosure relates to utensil assemblies and more particularly pertains to a new utensil assembly for on-demand dispensing of a condiment.
The prior art relates to utensil assemblies. Prior art utensil assemblies having a condiment dispensing function may comprise a utensil having a chamber positioned in a shank thereof, with the chamber housing a condiment that can be selectively dispensed by a user.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a utensil, which comprises a shank that is configured to be grasped in a hand of a user. A panel is engaged to the shank and defines a chamber. A condiment is positioned in the chamber and is selectively dispensable therefrom.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
As best illustrated in
A panel 16 is engaged to the shank 14 and defines a chamber 18. The panel 16 may comprise a packet 20, which has a first face 22 that is engaged to the shank 14. The packet 20 has a first end 24 extending past a terminus 26 of the shank 14. The packet 20 thus is configured to be torn sidewise proximate to the first end 24.
The first end 24 also may have a seam 28 positioned therein, as shown in
A condiment 34 is positioned in the chamber 18 and is selectively dispensable therefrom. The condiment 34 comprises one of a powder, a granulated substrate, or a liquid. A condiment 34 in powder or granulated form would be positioned in a packet 20 that is configured to be torn sideways proximate to the first end 24. A condiment 34 in liquid form would be positioned in a packet 20 wherein the seam 28 is configured to be separated upon application of pressure to the packet 20.
The utensil 12 may be one of a set of utensils 12. Each utensil 12 of the set of utensils 12 has a respective function so that the set of utensils 12 comprises utensils 12 having a variety of functions. The set of utensils 12 may comprise a spoon, a fork, and a knife, as shown in
The condiment 34 is one of a set of condiments 34, such as, but not limited to, salt, black pepper, red pepper, creamer, sweetener, and the like. Each condiment 34 of the set of condiments 34 is positioned in a respective chamber 18 of an associated utensil 12 of the set of utensils 12.
In use, the utensils 12 of the set of utensils 12 are utilized as for standard cutlery. Should a condiment 34 be desired, it can be dispensed from the packet 20 as required.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the elements is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.
