Adaptive Equipment For Plate To Facilitate Improved Feeding of Impaired Persons

Abstract

A novel adaptive equipment to facilitate the improved feeding of impaired persons. The adaptive equipment comprises a base and a wall coacting to provide a receiving area to receive a plate and a feeding area. In particular, the wall is designed with an outer width and an inner width to provide a certain taper of the wall to secure the plate within the receiving area and ready to be used for meals and receive food. The wall is further designed with a specific height and at a specific angle to retain the food within the feeding area when the adaptive equipment is in use. A hole is also provided in the base to facilitate removal of the plate from the adaptive equipment when finished.

Claims

1. An adaptive device for receiving a plate having a plate width, comprising: a base situated in a horizontal plane and having a base width; a wall situated around an exterior of the base, the wall extending from a proximal end at the base upwardly in a vertical orientation along a vertical orientation plane and at an angle from the base to a distal end relative to the vertical orientation plane; the wall having an outer width and an inner width, the outer width being larger than the plate width and the inner width being smaller than the plate width; a receiving area formed between the wall and the base; a feeding area formed in the entire area above the plate and within the wall; wherein, when in use, the plate is lowered past the distal end of the wall and into the receiving area toward the proximal end at the base until the plate becomes frictionally engaged and secured within the wall above the receiving area and prior to reaching the inner width at the proximal end, and creating a height between the plate and the distal end of the wall such that the wall along the height forces any food that is pushed off the plate back into the feeding area.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the wall is situated around an entirety of exterior of the base.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the wall forms a taper between the outer width at the distal end and the inner width at the proximal end.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein, when in use, substantially an entire exterior circumference of the plate becomes engaged with substantially an entire circumference of the wall.

5. (canceled)

6. The device of claim 4 wherein the wall has a height in a range of one-half inches to one inch between the plate and the distal end surrounding the feeding area.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein a hole extends through the base.

8. An adaptive device for receiving a plate having a plate width, comprising: a base situated in a horizontal plane and having a base width; a wall situated around an exterior of the base, the wall extending from a proximal end at the base upwardly in a vertical orientation along a vertical orientation plane and at an angle in an angle range from three to ten degrees from the base to a distal end relative to the vertical orientation plane; the wall having an outer width and an inner width, the outer width being larger than the plate width and the inner width being smaller than the plate width; the wall has a height in a wall height range of one-half inches to one inch between the plate and the distal end surrounding the feeding area; a receiving area formed between the wall and the base; a feeding area is formed in the entire area between the wall and above the plate; wherein, when in use, the plate is lowered past the distal end of the wall and into the receiving area toward the proximal end at the base until the plate becomes frictionally engaged and secured within the wall above the receiving area and prior to reaching the inner width at the proximal end, and creating a height between the plate and the distal end of the wall such that the wall along the height forces any food that is pushed off the plate back into the feeding area.

Description

IV. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] The Description of the Preferred Embodiment will be better understood with reference to the following figures:

[0015] FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of Applicant's adaptive equipment in accordance with the present invention.

[0016] FIG. 2 is an exploded side perspective view of Applicant's adaptive equipment and, in particular, illustrating the adaptive equipment before use with a plate in accordance with the present invention.

[0017] FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view, taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 4, of Applicant's adaptive equipment and, in particular, illustrating the adaptive equipment as assembled and used with the plate in accordance with the present invention.

[0018] FIG. 4 is a top perspective view of Applicant's adaptive equipment and, in particular, illustrating the adaptive equipment as assembled and used with the plate in accordance with the present invention.

V. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0019] While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and described herein in detail specific embodiments with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiments illustrated.

[0020] It will be understood that like or analogous elements and/or components, referred to herein, may be identified throughout the drawings with like reference characters. It will be further understood that FIGS. 1-4 are merely schematic representations of an adaptive equipment and some of the components may have been distorted from their actual scale for pictorial clarity.

[0021] In accordance with the present invention, and turning first to FIG. 1, there is illustrated Applicant's inventive adaptive equipment 10. In the preferred embodiment, the adaptive equipment 10 comprises a base 12, containing a hole 14, and a wall 16.

[0022] As further illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the base 12 is preferably flat and situated in a horizontal plane and may provide a non-skid bottom. The hole 14 extends through the base 12 and is situated in substantially the center of the base 12, although the position of the hole 14 may be in any location within the base 12 as used in connection with this invention. Additionally, the diameter of the hole 14 is preferably three inches (3). Alternatively, the hole 14 may be as small as one-half an inch () or as large as four inches (4) to likewise work for this invention and without sacrificing the strength or integrity of the base 12.

[0023] The wall 16 is preferably integrally molded with the base 12. Alternatively, the wall 16 may be secured to the base 12 in any manner known to one skilled in the art provided that there is no break, crack, or other separation between the wall 16 and the base 12 in which any food can escape through. In the preferred embodiment, the wall 16 extends and tapers upwardly from the base 12 at an angle 18 relative to the vertical plane. In the preferred embodiment, the angle 18 is in the range of three to ten degrees (3-10), which is also, adding ninety degrees (90) a total of ninety-three to one-hundred degrees (93-100) relative to the base 12 in the horizontal plane, as shown by angle 20.

[0024] In the preferred embodiment, the height 26 of the wall 16 is preferably two inches (2). Alternatively, the height 26 of the wall 16 may be as be smaller or larger provided that it likewise works for this invention and without sacrificing the effectiveness of the wall 16.

[0025] The wall 16 also has an outer width 30 and an inner width 32, as measured from the inside of the adaptive equipment 10. In the preferred embodiment, the outer width 32 is larger than the plate width 34 (defined below) and the inner width 32 is smaller than the plate width 34.

[0026] Additionally, the thickness 22 of the wall 16 is preferably in the range of one-half an inch (). Alternatively, the thickness 22 of the wall 16 may be smaller or larger provided that it likewise works for this invention and without sacrificing the strength or integrity of the wall 16.

[0027] The combination of the base 12 and wall 16 coact to provide a receiving area 28 to receive a plate, including without limitation, any other type of serving dish or bowl, collectively plate 24, having a plate width 34. In this manner, when the plate 24 is inserted into the receiving area 28, as the outer width 30 of the wall 16 is larger than the plate width 34, the plate 24 is easily inserted and received into the receiving area 28. As the plate 24 is lowered further down into the receiving area 28, and passes along the wall 16 that is tapering inward, the width of the wall 16 is slowly decreasing. The plate 24 is continued to be lowered further into the receiving area 28 until the plate 24 engages the wall 16. This is facilitated by the inner width 32 being smaller than the plate width 34 such that the plate 24 reaches this position in the receiving area 28 either at, preferably, the same time as the bottom 36 of the plate 24 reaches the base 12 or slightly before. In this position, the height 27 of the wall 16 that extends above the top 35 of the plate 24 is preferably in the range of one-half to one inch ( to 1). Alternatively, the height 27 of the wall 16 may be as smaller or larger provided that it likewise works for this invention and without sacrificing the effectiveness of the wall 16.

[0028] Also, in the preferred embodiment, when this occurs, the substantially entire exterior circumference of the plate 24 becomes engaged with the substantially entire circumference of the wall 16. In this manner, the plate 24 becomes frictionally engaged or secured within the receiving area 28 of the adaptive equipment 10. At this point, the plate 24 will remain secured and supported within the adaptive equipment 10 and is ready to be used for meals and receive food 40. Food 40 can then be provided in a resulting feeding area 42 of the adaptive equipment 10 and then served. Alternatively, although traditional plates 24 are circular in shape, it is anticipated that the adaptive equipment 10 can mirror any other shape of the plate 24 to likewise secure the plate 24 within the adaptive equipment 10 and achieve the same results. In another alternative, it is also anticipated that a bowl or other similar shaped dish may work with the adaptive equipment 10 provided that it is used in the same manner as described herein.

[0029] When received, the person or user proceeds to eat their meal from this adaptive equipment 10. For those persons or users that are impaired, as discussed above, when they try to get some food 40 from the plate 24 to eat, and are inadvertently pushing or knocking the food 40 that they are trying to get (e.g., such as by a fork, spoon, or any other utensil, hand, or other means), or any other surrounding food 40 on the plate 24, the wall 16 will keep all of this food 40 that is getting pushed or knocked around on the plate 24 within the feeding area 42. Additionally, while its further possible that some of this food 40 may be pushed or knocked into or up along the wall 16, the height 27 and tapering of the wall 16 down toward the plate 24 will likewise prevent the food from leaving the feeding area 42 and force the food 40 back into or onto the plate 24 for continued feeding. In this manner, regardless of how long it may take or the time that the person or user needs, the food 40 remains available and within the adaptive equipment 10 for the person or use to eat in order to obtain a full proper healthy and nutrition meal, every time. When the person or user is finished or done eating their meal, the hole 14 in the base 12 can be accessed to remove the plate 24. In this manner, a hand or any other means known to one skilled in the art can enter upward through the hole 14 and engage or push upon the bottom 36 of the plate 24. With some pressure, the plate 24 will be released from its frictional engagement and can then be removed from within the receiving area 28 of the adaptive equipment 10.

[0030] Based on the foregoing apparatus and method for using Applicant's adaptive equipment 10, Applicant's adaptive equipment provides, at least, the following advantages: [0031] (a) the wall is designed with an outer width and an inner width to provide a certain taper of the wall to receive and secure the plate within the receiving area; [0032] (b) once secured, the plate remains secured and supported within the adaptive equipment and is ready to be used for meals and receive food; [0033] (c) the wall is designed with a specific height and at a specific angle to retain the food within the feeding area; [0034] (d) when feeding or eating, all of the food remains available and within the feeding area for the person or use to eat to obtain a full proper healthy and nutrition meal, every time; and [0035] (e) the plate can be easily removed from the adaptive equipment once finished.

[0036] Thus, there has been provided Applicant's unique adaptive equipment in accordance with the present invention. While the invention has been described in conjunction with a specific embodiment, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, it in intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and scope of the specification and appended claims.