Patent Application
20240016322
The present invention is generally directed to a multi-purpose utensil, and more particularly to multi-purpose utensils having a fork, a spoon, and a pair of chopsticks.
Spoons, forks, and chopsticks are some of the most common utensils used worldwide. Many foods may be eaten with several different utensils. However, some users may prefer one type of utensil over the other. Moreover, some foods may be more often eaten with a specific utensil for easy consumption. For example, soup may be eaten with a spoon, meat and vegetables may be more easily picked up with a fork, and traditional Asian cuisine like ramen and dumplings may be customarily eaten with chopsticks. Thus, restaurants often maintain multiple types of eating utensils to accommodate a variety of users and foods.
One conventional approach to address this challenge is to combine utensils. For example, a spoon and fork may be combined to form a “spork” or “foon.” However, this combination does not include chopsticks. Thus, a restaurant will still generally provide a separate pair of chopsticks. However, even if a user desires to use chopsticks, eating with chopsticks can be difficult for an unskilled user. Chopsticks may require the user to independently operate two individual utensils with one hand at the same time. As such, one conventional approach to making chopsticks easier to use may be to provide an assisted pair of chopsticks. Assisted pairs of chopsticks may be permanently fused at one end or may have a training guide attached to one or both chopstick members. Assisted pairs of chopsticks that are permanently attached at one end may be undesirable for skilled users who prefer to a greater range of mobility of each chopstick member. However, assisted pairs of chopsticks with a detachable guide may require a restaurant to maintain yet another utensil.
Therefore, there is a need in the market for a multi-purpose utensil that combines the functionality of a spoon, fork, and chopsticks, that users of varying skill levels can modify without requiring multiple utensils.
Other and further objects of the invention, together with the features of novelty appurtenant thereto, will appear in the course of the following description.
For a better understanding of the present invention, reference may be made to the following drawings.
While the disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, a specific embodiment thereof is shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and detailed description presented herein are not intended to limit the disclosure to the particular embodiment disclosed, but to the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.
The invention will now be described with reference to the drawing figures, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout. For purposes of clarity in illustrating the characteristics of the present invention, proportional relationships of the elements have not necessarily been maintained in the drawing figures. It will be appreciated that any dimensions included in the drawing figures are simply provided as examples and dimensions other than those provided therein are also within the scope of the invention.
The description of the invention references specific embodiments in which the invention can be practiced. The embodiments are intended to describe aspects of the invention in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. Other embodiments can be utilized and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The present invention is defined by the appended claims and the description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense and shall not limit the scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled
The first utensil member 110a may be unitary in its construction, and may comprise a first bowl-shaped member 120a which may be at least partially bowl-shaped. The first bowl-shaped member 120a may be concave to form a reservoir. The first bowl-shaped member may have a first end 122a and a second end 124a. The second end 124a may be opposite the first end 122a in the x-direction. The first end 122a may have a first width 126a. The first bowl-shaped member 120a may have a second width 126b measured at approximately the center of the first partially bowl-shaped member 120a, as indicated by the vertical dotted line B which intersects the center of the partially bowl-shaped member 120a in the x-direction. Dotted line B extends parallel to a latitudinal axis of the utensil 100. The first width 126a may be equal to or less than the second width 126b. The second end 124a may have a third width 126c. The third width 126c may be equal to, less than, or greater than the first width 126a. The third width 126c may be equal to or less than the second width 126b.
At least one tine 130 may extend from the first end 122a of the first partially bowl-shaped member 120a. As shown, a first tine 130a and a second tine 130b, extend from the first end 122a. This is not to be considered limiting. More or fewer tines 130 may extend from the first end 122a.
A first transition portion 150a may extend from the second end 124a of the first bowl-shaped member 120a. Therefore, the first bowl-shaped member 120a may be positioned between the one or more tines 130a, 130b, and the first transition portion 150a. As shown, the first transition portion 150a may be angled with respect to the first imaginary horizontal line A.
A first chopstick member 140a may extend from the first transition portion 150a. Thus, the first transition member 150a may be positioned between the second end 126a of the first bowl-shaped member 120a and the first chopstick member 140a in the x-direction. A first end 142a of the first chopstick member 140a may be tapered. The first end 142a of the first chopstick member 140a may be opposite the one or more tines 130a, 130b. An outer edge of the first chopstick member 140a may be parallel or in line with the widest portion of the first bowl-shaped member 120a. As shown, the second width 126b may be the widest portion of the first bowl-shaped member 120a. Therefore, here the edge of the first chopstick member 140a may be parallel to the second width 126b of the first bowl-shaped member 120a, as shown by a second imaginary horizontal line C that is parallel to the first imaginary horizontal line A.
As discussed above, the multi-purpose utensil 100 may be comprised of the first utensil member 110a and the second utensil member 110b. The first utensil member 110a and the second utensil member 110b may be joined by an attachment channel 170. When the first utensil member 110a and the second utensil member 110b are joined, the multi-purpose utensil 100 may comprise a spoon section 125, a fork section 135, and an assisted pair of chopsticks 145. Therefore, the multi-purpose utensil 100 may allow a user to consume food using the spoon section 125, the fork section 135, and/or the assisted pair of chopsticks 145. As such, instead of using three separate utensils, a user may use the multi-purpose utensil 100 to consume a variety of foods.
The spoon section 125 may be comprised of the first bowl-shaped member 120a and a second bowl-shaped member 120b of the second utensil member 110b. The first bowl-shaped member 120a may be joined to the second bowl-shaped member 120b by the attachment channel 170. Thus, the spoon section 125 may comprise the first bowl-shaped member 120a, the second bowl-shaped member 120b, and the attachment channel 170 positioned between the first and second bowl-shaped members 120a, 120b. The spoon section 125 may be used to consume foods that may be typically eaten with a spoon, such as soups, beans, and vegetables. The spoon section 125 may have a fourth width 128. The fourth width 128 may be measured at approximately the center of the spoon section 125, as indicated by the vertical dotted line B that intersects the center of the spoon section 125 in the x-direction. The fourth width 128 may be equal to twice the width of the second width 126b of the first partially shaped bowl member 120a.
The fork section 135 may comprise the one or more tines 130 extending from the first end 122a of the first bowl-shaped member 120a and one or more tines 130 extending from a first end 122b of the second bowl-shaped member 120b. As shown, the fork section 135 may be comprised of the first and second tines 130a, 130b of the first utensil member 110a, and a third and fourth tine 130c, 130d of the second utensil member 110b. The fork section 135 may be used to consume foods that may be typically eaten with a fork, such as pasta, meat, and salad.
The assisted pair of chopsticks 145 may be comprised of the first chopstick member 140a of the first utensil member 110a and a second chopstick member 140b of the second utensil member 110b. The assisted pair of chopsticks 145 may be used to consume foods that may be typically eaten with chopsticks such as sushi, dumplings, and ramen. Moreover, the assisted pair of chopsticks 145 may be easier for a user to operate.
Typically, an un-assisted pair of chopsticks comprises a pair of chopstick members that may not be attached to each other. Therefore, it may be difficult for a user to operate an un-assisted pair of chopsticks because the user may have difficultly stabilizing the chopstick members at the same time. However, here, the assisted pair of chopsticks 145 may be more stable than an un-assisted pair of chopsticks because the first chopstick member 140a and the second chopstick member 140b may be part of the same utensil.
When the first utensil member 110a and the second utensil member 110b are joined, the first chopstick member 140a may be substantially parallel to the second chopstick member 140b. Therefore, the assisted pair of chopsticks 145 may have a fifth width 144. The fifth width 144 may be equal to or less than the fourth width 128 of the spoon section 125. The first chopstick member 140a may be comprised of a material that is more flexible than the first partially bowl-shaped member 120a and/or the one or more tines 130a, 130b. The second chopstick member 140b may be comprised of the same material as the first chopstick member 140a. Therefore, a user may be able to flex or bend the first and second chopstick members 140a, 140b.
To operate the assisted pair of chopsticks 145, a user may hold either the first chop stick member 140a or the second chopstick member 140b steady with their ring finger and base of their thumb, and then use their thumb and pointer finger to move the other chopstick member, bringing the first end 142a of the first chopstick member 140a and a first end 142 of the second chopstick member 140b towards each other. It is to be understood that this is merely one description for how to operate a pair of chopsticks. Other commonly used methods for operating chopsticks may be used. When the user does not wish to pick up food with the assisted pair of chopsticks 145, the user may release one of the chopstick members 140a, 140b. When using the assisted pair of chopsticks 145, the user may not have to worry about dropping one or both of the chopstick members 140a, 140b because the first and second chopstick members 140a, 140b are connected. Moreover, when configured as an assisted pair of chopsticks 145, the first and second chopstick members 140a, 140b, may be configured to return to their original positions. Therefore, a user may find it easier to operate the assisted pair of chopsticks 145 because it may require less dexterity. However, the user may desire to use an un-assisted pair of chopsticks. Therefore, the multi-purpose utensil 100 is configured to be broken along the attachment channel 170 to form an un-assisted pair of chopsticks.
The attachment channel 170 may be designed to be a line of weakness that is more easily broken as compared to the remainder of the multi-purpose utensil 100. The first partially bowl-shaped member 120a may have a first thickness of about 0.5 millimeters (mm) to about 2 mm. The second partially bowl-shaped member 120b may have a second thickness approximately equal to the first thickness. It is to be understood that due to manufacturing tolerances, that the first thickness and the second thickness may not be exactly equal. The attachment channel 170 may have a third thickness. The third thickness may be less than the first thickness. The first and second partially shaped bowl members 120a, 120b may be comprised of the same material. The attachment channel 170 may be comprised of a material that is more brittle than the material of the first partially bowl-shaped member 120a, and/or the material of the second partially shaped bowl material 120b. Therefore, to separate the first utensil member 110a from the second utensil member 110b, a user may grip the first and second partially shaped bowl members 120a, 120b on either side of the attachment channel 170 and snap the attachment channel 170.
When the attachment channel 170 is broken, the multi-purpose utensil 100 forms an un-assisted pair of chopsticks comprising the first chopstick member 140a and the second chopstick member 140b. A user may find it easier to operate the un-assisted pair of chopsticks because it may be easier to move the first and second chopstick members 140a, 140b when they are not attached to each other.
As is evident from the foregoing description, certain aspects of the present invention is not limited by the particular details of the examples illustrated herein, and it is therefore contemplated that other modifications, applications, variations, or equivalents thereof, will occur to those skilled in the art. Many such changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications of the present constructions will, however, become apparent to those skilled in the art after considering the specification and the accompanying drawings. In addition, unless mention was made above to the contrary, it should be noted that all of the accompanying drawings are not to scale. All such changes, modifications, variations and other uses in applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present inventions are deemed to be covered by the inventions which are limited only by the claims which follow.
