Eating utensil

Abstract

The invention relates to an eating utensil which combines the capabilities of a fork, characterized by function for spearing the food and of a knife characterized by function for cutting the food and can be used by handicapped and people with decreased functional ability of one of their upper limbs. The eating utensil consists of a handle (1) and a head (5) with formed static spearing tines (9) and mounted rotating cutting tines (8) and (8). The handle (1) has a cavity in which a semi-automatic reciprocal spring mechanism (2) is inbuilt. In outer circumferential surface of the handle (1) are formed slots (1) and sliders with ergonomic shape are placed in them for right (3) or for left (3) handed use.

Claims

1. An eating utensil which includes a handle (1) and a head (5), characterized in that the handle (1) has a cavity in which a mechanism (2) is inbuilt and an outer circumferential surface of the handle (1) has slots (1, 1) for sliders (3, 3), where the location of the sliders on the handle (1) is adjacent to an abutment surface (10) for an index finger of a user of the utensil in a lateral position of the handle, and on said sliders is a pushing surface (11, 11) for the mechanism (2), a rotating part (2) of the mechanism (2) is attached to a transmission (4) inbuilt into the head (5), the transmission (4) consists of a monolith flexible shaft, bent in its middle, forming a loop (4) inside a neck of the handle and is connected with the rotating part (2) of the mechanism (2), two active ends of the transmission (4) are inbuilt inside holes (6, 6) of the head (5) and are connected with bearing shafts (7, 7) which are monolith part of rotating cutting tines (8, 8) mounted into a frontal side of the head (5) in the holes (6, 6) via wedging bushings (5, 5) which ensure bi-directional rotation of the rotating cutting tines (8, 8) with their longitudinal internal sides shaped for cutting, facing middle static tines (9) of the head (5) at an initial position.

2. An eating utensil, according to claim 1, characterized in that the rotating cutting tines (8, 8) are mounted into the frontal side of the head (5) via the bearing shafts (7, 7).

3. An eating utensil, characterized in that it has a handle (1) in which a mechanism (2) is inbuilt and the handle (1) has holes or slots (1, 1) for buttons or sliders (3, 3), the location of said buttons or sliders (3, 3) is adjacent to an index finger abutment surface (10) on the handle (1) when the utensil is held in a lateral position of the handle by a user, on the buttons or sliders (3, 3) is located a mechanism pushing surface (11, 11) which takes pressure from an index finger and thus an incoming driving force in a form of a linear motion is applied into the mechanism (2) that by means of a rotating part (2) outputs it as a rotary motion, the rotating part (2) transmits a rotary motion to a flexible shaft (4) inbuilt inside holes (6, 6) made along the entire length of a wide common root-base (5), the flexible shaft (4) transmits the rotary motion to bearing shafts (7, 7) which are monolith part of rotating cutting tines (8, 8) that have one longitudinal side shaped as a blade, the cutting tines (8, 8) are mounted into a frontal side of the common root-base (5) by means of wedging bushings (5, 5), in such a way that the cutting tines (8, 8) can perform bi-directional rotation.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE ATTACHED FIGURES

(1) FIG. 1 shows an axonometric view of the eating utensil.

EXAMPLES

(2) According to FIG. 1, the utensil consists of a handle (1) and a head (5) with shaped at the middle static tines (9). The handle (1) has a cavity in which a semi-automatic reciprocating spring mechanism (2) is inbuilt. In outer circumferential surface of the handle (1) are formed slots (1) and (1) with ergonomically shaped sliders (3, 3) placed in them for use with right or left hand. When the utensil is positioned laterally for cutting up the food the place of the slider (3, 3) coincides with the abutment surface (10) of the index finger of the user over the handle (1). On slider (3, 3) is the pushing surface (11, 11) of the reciprocating spring mechanism (2) which takes the pressure force from the user's index finger and inputs it as translational motion into the mechanism (2). Because of its specific construction, the mechanism (2) transforms the translational motion into a rotational motion with increased moment of force according to the relation ratio between acceleration of the translational momentum and momentum of force of the rotational movement. The rotating part (2) of the mechanism (2) inside the handle (1) is connected to a transmission (4) inbuilt into the handle (1) and holes (6) and (6) made in head (5) of the utensil. The transmission (4) consists of a monolith flexible shaft, bent in the middle, thus forming a loop (4) inside handle's neck. Generated rotational movement from the mechanism (2) is projected over the loop (4). The difference between the radius of the loop (4) and the radius of the flexible shaft (4) increases the torque of the rotational movement additionally. The rotational movement of the loop (4) at 180 degree is transmitted without any losses of angular velocity to the two active ends of the transmission (4) placed in holes (6) and (6). The active ends of the transmission (4) are in a permanent connection with the bearing shafts (7) and (7) which are monolith part of rotating cutting tines (8) and (8) with longitudinal inner side shaped as blade. The bearing shafts (7) and (7) are inbuilt in holes (6) and (6) at frontal side of the head (5) via wedging bushings (5) and (5) which protects the holes (6) and (6) from fluids and ensures low friction during the rotational motion of cutting tines (8) and (8).

APPLICATION OF THE INVENTION

(3) When the utensil is positioned laterally for cutting up of food position of the user's index finger coincides with one of the sliders (3) or (3) depending on whether left or right hand is used. The pressure force of the finger in the attempt to cut food causes the slider (3) or (3) to move down along axis of the handle (1) and triggers the reciprocating spring mechanism (2) which transforms the translational motion of the slider (3) or (3) into a rotational one. The rotational movement from mechanism (2) is transmitted via the flexible transmission (4) to the bearing shafts (7) and (7) which cause the cutting tines (8) and (8) to rotate to 180 degree. To guarantee safety, when the utensil is positioned for spearing or lifting food, the mechanism (2) could not be triggered and the cutting edges of the rotating cutting tines (8) and (8) are directed internally towards the middle static tines (9) on the head (5) of the utensil. When turning their cutting profiles to the outer side of the utensil, they stay in this position until the cutting is over. After cutting the food, and after the pressure force of the user's index finger from the slider (3) or (3) is released, the reciprocating spring mechanism (2) returns the cutting tines (8) and (8) to its initial safe position (with blades directed internally), thus insuring the safe use of the utensil by the user.