Eating utensil

Abstract

A food utensil having a handle portion and a food engagement portion, the food engagement portion includes one or more member(s) disposed about the periphery of the food engagement portion, whereby the one or more member(s) define a food engagement region. The utensil is suitable for use by young children.

Claims

1. A food utensil comprising a handle portion and a food engagement portion, the food engagement portion comprising: a base having a central region and an outer annular periphery; one or more piercing elements projecting from the central region having a piercing tip; three or more members disposed in a spaced apart arrangement about the annular periphery of the base of the food engagement portion, whereby the three or more members define a substantially funnel-shaped food engagement region therebetween and wherein the three or more members have blunt ends which extend beyond the one or more piercing elements and the three or more members can engage and stabilize a food item before it is pierced by the one or more piercing elements.

2. The food utensil of claim 1 wherein at least one of the three or more members is/are elongate.

3. The food utensil of claim 1 wherein at least one of the three or more members is/are splayed outwardly.

4. The food utensil of claim 1 wherein at least one of the three or more members is/are resiliently deformable.

5. The food utensil of claim 1 wherein the three or more members comprise at least four members.

6. The food utensil of claim 1 wherein the one or more piercing elements comprises one piercing element.

7. The food utensil of claim 6 wherein the one piercing element is centered within the funnel-shaped food engagement region.

8. The food utensil of claim 6 wherein the piercing element is disposed at or toward the central region of the base.

9. The food utensil of claim 6 wherein the one piercing element is conical or frustoconical.

10. The food utensil of claim 1 wherein the handle portion and the food engagement portion are relatively disposed such that an axis of the food engagement region forms an angle with an axis of the handle portion.

11. The food utensil of claim 10 wherein the angle is between about 20 degrees and 40 degrees.

12. The food utensil of claim 1 wherein the food engagement region has a width of less than 20 mm.

13. The food utensil of claim 1 comprising gaps between the three or more members disposed about the annular periphery of the base of the food engagement portion.

14. The food utensil of claim 13 wherein the gaps are dimensioned substantially equally.

15. The food utensil of claim 13 wherein the gaps are wider than the members.

16. The food utensil of claim 1 wherein the three or more members are spaced substantially equally about the annular periphery.

17. The food utensil of claim 16 wherein the three or more members are substantially flat and/or broad.

18. The food utensil of claim 1 wherein a terminus of at least one of the three or more members is/are rounded.

19. A food utensil comprising a handle portion and a food engagement portion, the food engagement portion comprising: a base having a central region and an outer annular periphery; one or more piercing elements projecting from the central region having a piercing tip; three or more members disposed in a spaced apart arrangement about the annular periphery of the base of the food engagement portion, whereby the three or more members define a substantially funnel-shaped food engagement region therebetween and wherein the three or more members are substantially flat and/or broad having blunt ends which extend beyond the one or more piercing elements, and the three or more members can engage and stabilize a food item before it is pierced by the one or more piercing elements.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present invention may be more fully described or clearly ascertained by reference to the accompanying drawings which show a number of preferred embodiments, and in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows drawings of a utensil of the present invention having four members, and devoid of a piercing element.

(3) FIG. 2 shows drawings of a utensil of the present invention having three members and a single piercing element.

(4) FIG. 3 shows drawings of a utensil of the present invention having four members and a single piercing element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(5) Reference is now made to FIG. 1A which shows an inferior view of a utensil having a handle 2, a neck region 4, and four members 6. The members 6 define an area capable of retaining food 8. A lateral view of the utensil is shown in FIG. 1B showing a curvature defining an angle (as taken by reference to the axis of the head and the axis of the handle). A superior view is shown in FIG. 1C. Dimensions and angles as numbered are as follows 40, 10.6 mm; 41, 14.2 mm; 42, 10.7 mm, 48, 35 degrees; 44, 71.4 mm; 46, 11.7 mm.

(6) In use, the utensil is held at the handle 2, with the members 6 being pushed at or into a food mass (not shown) such that the entire food mass (or at least a portion thereof) is caused to enter the region 8. It will be noted that all four members 6 are splayed slightly outwardly such that the region 8 is broader at the terminus of the members 10 and narrower at the base 12. By this arrangement food is pushed into the more narrow part of the region 8 thereby increasing the opportunity for frictional engagement of the food by the members 6 and the base 12 of the region 8.

(7) FIG. 1D is a perspective view (enlarged with reference to FIGS. 1A to 1C) showing further detail of the members.

(8) FIG. 1E is a sectional view through the line marked P-P on FIG. 1B showing the base 12 of the food engagement area 8.

(9) Reference is now made to FIG. 2 which components are numbered generally consistently with the embodiment of FIG. 1. FIG. 2A shows an inferior view of a utensil having 3 members 6 and a single piercing element 14. The utensil is used in a similar manner to that as described for FIG. 1, except that the food (if sufficiently solid) is pierced by the element 14.

(10) It will be noted that the piercing element 14 terminates below the level of the terminus 10 of the members 6 in this embodiment. This allows for stabilization of the food mass by the members 6 before piercing with the element 14. It will be appreciated that piercing of food by children with a traditional fork requires skill in order to prevent the food from slipping across the plate when a piercing force is applied. The utensil of FIG. 2 requires a lower level of skill given the presence of the members 6 which only need be urged against the food to keep the food stationary on the plate, and therefore more easily pierced by the element 14. FIG. 2B is a lateral view demonstrated the angle 64 made by the food engagement portion 4 and the handle 2.

(11) FIG. 2C is a perspective view of the food engaging portion 4, more clearly showing the centrality of the piercing element 14 with reference to the members 6.

(12) Dimensions and angles as numbered in FIG. 2 are as follows: 60, 104.7 mm; 62, 67.7 mm; 64, 35 degrees; 66, 12.4 mm; 68, 1.3 mm; 70, 5.4 mm.

(13) The components of FIG. 3 are numbered generally consistently with those of FIGS. 1 and 2. This embodiment includes four members 6 disposed about a central piercing element 14, as shown in the inferior view (FIG. 3A). This food engagement portion 4 in this embodiment forms a more shallow angle with the handle portion 2.

(14) Greater detail of the food engagement portion is shown in the perspective view FIG. 3C, also by reference to FIG. 3D which is a section view through the line M-M of FIG. 3C.

(15) Dimensions and angles as numbered in FIG. 3 are as follows: 70, 20.2 mm; 72, 108.3 mm; 74, 13.8 mm; 76, 16.6 mm; 78, 68.2 mm; 80, 14.4 mm; 82, 9.2 mm; 84, 26 degrees.

(16) It is proposed that embodiments of the invention having 4 members provides superior control in the manipulation of food by the child, as compared with embodiments having 3 members or less. It will be noted that the rounded shape and small dimensions of the food retaining region of the 3- and 4-membered embodiments facilitates insertion into a child's mouth. By contrast, the food engagement regions of prior art forks are typically flat and wide, providing difficulty for some children in inserting into the mouth.

(17) It is emphasized that any measurements provided in this specification are merely exemplary and should not be used in any manner to restrict the ambit of the present invention. Afforded the benefit of the disclosure of this specification the skilled person is enabled to alter the measurements by a matter of routine only to provide alternative embodiments. For example, while the exemplary measurements provided herein are directed to utensils for use by young children it would involve no more than routine modification of those measurements to confer usability for adults.

(18) The invention may be said broadly to consist in the parts, elements and features referred to or indicated in the specification of the application, individually or collectively, in any or all combinations of two or more of said parts, elements or features. Wherein the foregoing description reference has been made to integers or components having known equivalents thereof, those integers are herein incorporated as if individually set forth.

(19) It should be noted that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without diminishing its attendant advantages. It is therefore intended that such changes and modifications be included within the scope of the invention.

(20) The above description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles described herein can be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is to be understood that the description and drawings presented herein represent a presently preferred embodiment of the invention and are therefore representative of the subject matter which is broadly contemplated by the present invention. It is further understood that the scope of the present invention fully encompasses other embodiments that may become obvious to those skilled in the art.