EP0902638B1 - Gerät zum Greifen und Verzehren von Nahrungsmitteln - Google Patents

Gerät zum Greifen und Verzehren von Nahrungsmitteln Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0902638B1
EP0902638B1 EP97918291A EP97918291A EP0902638B1 EP 0902638 B1 EP0902638 B1 EP 0902638B1 EP 97918291 A EP97918291 A EP 97918291A EP 97918291 A EP97918291 A EP 97918291A EP 0902638 B1 EP0902638 B1 EP 0902638B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
strips
strip
implement according
hole
implement
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP97918291A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0902638A1 (de
Inventor
Stuart Charles Aiken
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from GBGB9609341.4A external-priority patent/GB9609341D0/en
Priority claimed from GBGB9701315.5A external-priority patent/GB9701315D0/en
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Publication of EP0902638A1 publication Critical patent/EP0902638A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0902638B1 publication Critical patent/EP0902638B1/de
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47G—HOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT
    • A47G21/00—Table-ware
    • A47G21/10—Sugar tongs; Asparagus tongs; Other food tongs
    • A47G21/103—Chop-sticks

Definitions

  • This invention relates to an implement for eating food.
  • US Patent US-A-3596965 discloses a food handling implement comprising two separate elongate members made of plastics material coupleable together by a tongue at the end of one member being engaged in a rectangular hole in the end of the other member, these ends of the members comprising shaped thickened portions able to ride one on another in a hinge action.
  • US patent US-A-3957298 discloses tongs made up of two spaced parallel strips of wood permanently joined by a wooden dowel at one end and usable for picking toast out of an electric toaster.
  • a food eating implement comprising two separate elongate members each able to flex longitudinally and coupling means for connecting the ends of the members so that they extend alongside one another and so that food can be grasped between the other ends of the members characterised in that said members comprise respective flat strips, and in that said coupling means comprises a hole and interconnected slot in an end region of one strip and a narrowed width portion in an end region of the other strip, for the two strips to be interengaged at said end regions with the strips extending along opposed sides of a V-shape, and the open end of the 'V' may be closed by finger pressure on the outside of the strips.
  • the strips are of elongated, generally rectangular shape, ideally with rounded ends.
  • said one strip has a round hole towards one of its ends with two linear slots extending from opposite sides of the hole in the longitudinal direction of the strip for the two slots to accommodate the width and thickness of the other strip, the narrowed width portion of the other strip being defined by two arcuate slots, one in each longitudinal edge towards one end of the strip and corresponding to the positioning of the hole for enabling the strips to be rotated relative to each other to form said V-shape.
  • the strips are preferably of identical external dimensions, i.e. length, width and thickness. They may be of any suitably flexible material, e.g. plastics, metal, wood or rigid card. They may, if desired, be coloured and/or carry a logo or other decoration but it may be preferred for many intended uses that they are plain, simple and inexpensive for throwaway use.
  • the invention enables a practical inexpensive means of providing a utensil for the eating of food which can be picked up by the tongs - or tweezer-like action of the device. It has widespread applicability, e.g. as indicated above, in takeaways and other fast food outlets and cafeteria, for picnics and buffets and the like.
  • a flat arm is of elongated rectangular shape with longitudinal edges 10A, 10B and rounded short ends 10C, 10D.
  • Towards end 10D is a centrally-disposed hole 11 with linear slots 12A and 12B extending in the longitudinal direction of the arm from opposite sides of the hole 11.
  • Slots 12A, 12B are of sufficient width to accept the thickness of arm 20 (see Figure 2) and of sufficient overall length together with the diameter of hole 11 to accept the width of arm 20.
  • arm 20 is of similar elongated rectangular shape with longitudinal edges 20A, 20B and rounded short ends 20C, 20D.
  • a pair of opposed hemispherical slots 21A, 21B is formed in edges 20A, 20B respectively at a position along arm 20 corresponding to the position of hole 11 in arm 10.
  • Arms 10 and 20 are then releasably coupled together to form a device for the consumption of food as shown in Figure 3.
  • End 20D of arm 20 has been passed through hole 11 and slots 12A, 12B of arm 10 until edge slots 21A, 21B are received inside hole 11.
  • the arms are then rotated through 90° relative to each other so that arm 20 is captured inside hole 11 of arm 10 and the arms face each other to form the 'V' shape shown in Figure 3.
  • the flexibility of arms 10 and 20 allows them to be pressed towards each other so that their ends 10C and 20C come together.
  • the tongs-like device may be held between the fingers and the thumb of one hand and the arms pressed together to pick up an item of food positioned between the arms.
  • the arms may be e.g. of wood, plastics material or rigid card.

Landscapes

  • Table Equipment (AREA)

Claims (7)

  1. Vorrichtung zum Essen von Nahrungsmitteln, mit zwei getrennten länglichen Elementen (10, 20), die beide in Längsrichtung biegbar sind, und mit einem Verbindungselement zum Verbinden der Enden (10D, 20D) der Elemente (10, 20), so'daß sie sich entlang ihrer Seiten erstrecken und so zwischen den anderen Enden (10C, 20C) der Elemente ein Nahrungsmittel erfaßt werden kann, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Elemente jeweils flache Streifen (10, 20) sowie das Verbindungselement ein Loch (11) und damit verbundene Schlitze (12A, 12B) in einem Endbereich (10D) eines Streifens (10) sowie in einem Endbereich (20D) des anderen Streifens (20) einen Abschnitt (21A, 21B) mit einer verminderten Breite, aufweist, um die zwei Streifen (10, 20) in jenen Endbereichen (10D, 20D) miteinander in Eingriff zu bringen, wobei sich die Streifen (10, 20) entlang der einander gegenüberliegenden Seiten einer V-Form erstrecken und das offene Ende des "V" durch Fingerdruck auf die Außenseite der Streifen (10, 20) geschlossen werden kann.
  2. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Streifen (10, 20) eine längliche, im allgemeinen rechteckige Form aufweisen.
  3. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die kurzen Seiten (10C, 10D, 20C, 20D) des Rechtecks abgerundet sind.
  4. Vorrichtung nach einem der vorstehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß ein Streifen (10) zu einem seiner Enden (10D) hin ein rundes Loch (11) mit zwei Schlitzen (12A, 12B) aufweist, die sich von den gegenüberliegenden Seiten des genannten Lochs (11) aus in Längsrichtung des Streifens (10) erstrecken und die zwei Schlitze (12A, 12B) der Breite und Dicke des anderen Streifens (20) angepaßt sind, wobei der Abschnitt des anderen Streifens mit einer verminderten Breite (20) durch zwei gekrümmte Ausnehmungen (21A, 21B) festgelegt ist, eine in jedem Längsrand (20A, 20B) zu einem Ende (20D) des Streifens (20) hin und entsprechend der Lage des genannten Lochs (11), um ein Verdrehen der Streifen (10, 20) gegeneinander zur Bildung der genannten V-Form zu ermöglichen.
  5. Vorrichtung nach einem der vorstehenden Ansprüche, bei der die Streifen (10, 20) bezüglich ihrer Länge, Breite und Dicke identisch sind.
  6. Vorrichtung nach einem der vorstehenden Ansprüche, bei der jeder Streifen (10, 20) eine Länge von 100 bis 150 mm, eine Breite von 10 bis 20 mm und eine Dicke von 1 bis 2 mm aufweist.
  7. Vorrichtung nach einem der vorstehenden Ansprüche, worin die Streifen (10, 20) aus Holz oder einem Kunststoffmaterial hergestellt sind.
EP97918291A 1996-05-03 1997-05-01 Gerät zum Greifen und Verzehren von Nahrungsmitteln Expired - Lifetime EP0902638B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (5)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9609341 1996-05-03
GBGB9609341.4A GB9609341D0 (en) 1996-05-03 1996-05-03 Tongs
GB9701315 1997-01-22
GBGB9701315.5A GB9701315D0 (en) 1997-01-22 1997-01-22 Tongs
PCT/GB1997/001206 WO1997041762A1 (en) 1996-05-03 1997-05-01 Tongs

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0902638A1 EP0902638A1 (de) 1999-03-24
EP0902638B1 true EP0902638B1 (de) 2003-01-29

Family

ID=26309269

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP97918291A Expired - Lifetime EP0902638B1 (de) 1996-05-03 1997-05-01 Gerät zum Greifen und Verzehren von Nahrungsmitteln

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0902638B1 (de)
AU (1) AU2647397A (de)
DE (1) DE69718783D1 (de)
WO (1) WO1997041762A1 (de)

Families Citing this family (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FI106772B (fi) * 1999-01-19 2001-04-12 Jani Petteri Martikainen Syömäpuikot
AT6719U1 (de) * 2003-02-12 2004-03-25 Frauscher Jasmina Greifzange
DE102004050678A1 (de) * 2004-10-18 2006-04-20 Metallwarenfabrik Marktoberdorf Gmbh & Co. Kg Steckzange
FR2889928A1 (fr) * 2005-08-31 2007-03-02 Rony Amar Baguettes desinees a la consommation des aliments
US7665786B2 (en) 2006-06-08 2010-02-23 Jonathan Simons Folding tongs
ES1064648Y (es) * 2007-01-18 2007-07-01 Martinez Mario Lai Palillos chinos
CA2905495A1 (en) * 2013-03-15 2014-09-18 Keith M. PECORARO Cooperating linkable, deformable chopsticks
KR101900430B1 (ko) 2017-08-22 2018-09-20 김동진 다용도 집게

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2670234A (en) * 1951-10-01 1954-02-23 Columbus Plastic Products Inc Food-serving appliance
US3596965A (en) * 1968-10-22 1971-08-03 Vernon Co The Multipurpose hand utensil
US3957298A (en) * 1974-12-03 1976-05-18 Purchase Herbert K Toast tongs
DE2551501A1 (de) * 1975-11-17 1977-10-06 Gallina Ferenc Salatbesteck-zange
US5054835A (en) * 1989-09-21 1991-10-08 Tango Proprietary Limited Food handling implement

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE69718783D1 (de) 2003-03-06
WO1997041762A1 (en) 1997-11-13
AU2647397A (en) 1997-11-26
EP0902638A1 (de) 1999-03-24

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