GB2379158A

GB2379158A - Utensil such as spoon formed by folding

Info

Publication number: GB2379158A
Application number: GB0121086A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Rutter; Stella Rutter
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-08-31
Filing date: 2001-08-31
Publication date: 2003-03-05
Anticipated expiration: 2021-08-31
Also published as: GB2379158B; GB0121086D0

Abstract

A (folding) flat-pack (collapsible) utensil, particularly a spoon, is configured from 2-D flat sheet (10), plastics or coated card, material, sub-divided by creases, folds (18) and cuts (17,19), to allow re-disposition of constituent elements, or subsidiary portions into a 3-D scalloped profile (30), with an appendant handle (20). The profile (30) serves as a shallow bowl. The utensil may be a spoon, ladle, scoop, volumetric capacity measure, dish, saucer, bowl or shallow tray. It is formed from flat blank form (figure 1A) by inserting protrusion (21) through cut slot (19) to make the completed utensil (figure 3B). The blank may be initially formed integrally with a carton or package.

Description

Folding Utensil (incl. Cutlery, eg Spoon, Ladle, Scoop) This invention relates to folding utensils, and is particularly, but not exclusively, concerned with folding or collapsible utensils-constructed from (initially) flat sheet material.

Terminology The term'utensil'is used herein generally to embrace a diversity of tools and implements.

As such utensil includes items, contrivances or devices for opening, accessing, removing, holding, serving, or delivering (packaged) contents.

Dedicated, or bespoke configuration cutlery represent a category of utensil.

A prime cutlery category is spoons, ladies or scoops.

Cutlery aside, crockery or tableware, such as cups, bowls or dishes are also embraced - along with intermediate or transitional forms between crockery and cutlery-such as a bowl with handle pourer spout, allowing ladle use.

'Folding'embraces diverse routes from a collapsed to an erected form or assembly.

Utensil Erection & Assembly Transformation or conversion, from a 2-D flat sheet to an erected 3-D assembly, is by folding.

Fabrication is generally from (initially) flat 2-D sheet material-such as plastics or coated card.

The sheet material may be clear, translucent or opaque, and may be coloured or tinted, locally or overall, uniformly or (contrasting) differentially.

The process may be reversible-allowing transition from an erected 3-D form, back to a collapsed 2-D flat form.

That said, repeated erection and collapse may'tire'or fatigue the material, impairing its readiness to assume or re-assume a desired form.

Similarly, a desired sudden, abrupt, or so-called'snap-action', manner or character of transition (discussed later) between forms may no longer be preserved.

In the case of card sheet material, constituent fibres may be crushed and in the case of plastics, fold'memory', or predisposition to assume, or preserve, an orientation, may be lost.

The sheet material is desirably resiliently deformable-enabling flexing to adopt a 3-D form, and re-assertion or reversion upon bending under load.

Thus, overall, a'flat-pack'utensil proposition entails : delineation of a utensil outer form, and its sub-division, by creases, folds or localised cut-outs, so that an initial 2-D fabrication can be converted, by selective folding and interaction of elements, into an erect 3-D form; and vice-versa.

Creases, folds or cut lines may be single, multiple, straight, curved, interconnected or fragmented to achieve a desired 3-D structural form.

The 3-D utensil mode does not necessarily preclude utensils configured as certain largely flat-bladed items, such as scoops, scrapers or tabs.

Such tabs are commonly dispensed-configured as thin slivers or blades of plastics or

wood-with'tub'carton format packaged ice cream or yoghurt.

A 3-D form can embody or import a certain useful depth, however minimal-to accommodate, even if only in limited quantities, either'flowable'or solid material, whether carved from a relatively solid block, granular, (semi-viscous) liquid, or soft paste.

Utensil & Packaging Entrainment or Integration 'Integration'-or at least tethered mutual joining or entrainment-of a (consumption) utensil, or serving dispenser, such as a spoon ladle or scoop, with packaging of (consumable) product is facilitated with a flat-pack utensil configuration.

It is envisaged that (initially) the utensil be'tethered'to, or otherwise entrained with, the carton structure and (subsequently) severed therefrom, by the user, for erection and use.

Prior Art Folding spoons as unitary items, or integrated with packaging, are known, including: GB2052246 to a spatula, spoon or pourer formed by folding a flat blank along several preferential (marked) fold lines ; GB 437392 to a spoon formed as an integral part of ice cream packaging. For use, the spoon blank is detached from the packaging and folded into a 3-D configuration; WO 96/32041 to a folding spoon erected by a complex folding sequence; EP 0400708 to a folded spoon and container arrangement; UK Registered Design Nos: 2062362,2034452 and 2049594 depict various scoops.

The present invention addresses a simpler, robust and operatively reliable folding arrangement, for ease of manufacture and transformation from 2D to 3D form.

Statement of Invention According to one aspect of the invention, a (folding) utensil, such as a (collapsible) spoon, ladle or scoop, comprises, a portion of (initially) flat sheet material, sub-divided by a co-operatively juxtaposed cut, crease or fold, to admit an erected 3-D form, For a utensil configured as a spoon, in a 3-D erected form, one part serves as a shallow receptacle, or bowl, and another part serves as a support handle, for the receptacle or bowl.

In a particular configuration, the spoon has an elongated oval planform.

This allows a shallow bowl at one end, and a shallow ledge at the opposite end, serving as a handle.

An intermediate frusto-conical step or transition lies between spoon and handle ends.

An attendant curvilinear handle form provides convenient complementary thumb or finger rest-with a purchase or grip between opposed thumb and first finger.

Similar principles could apply to other cutlery configurations, such as a knife (blade) or (pronged) fork.

Moreover, elements of knife, fork and spoon could be combined, by, say, splitting part of a spoon into two or more prongs, with a cutting edge along one side.

Thus an edge could be serrated or sharpened, locally or overall.

Not least reflecting hygiene and economic considerations, the utensil is envisaged as

disposable.

In that event, the utensil need only be sufficiently robust to withstand'one-off'usage.

That said, relatively stiff, but resiliently deformable plastics sheet fabrication may admit repeated use.

Principal market areas envisaged include; novelties-including promotions-with a graphical form enhanced by imagery- such as depicting the opposed limbs as ears or claws of notional animals or fish; camping and leisure; and packaging integrated.

These are merely indicative of the spectrum of opportunities-but by no means exhaustive or definitive.

2-D Usage In principle, the utensil configuration might admit of-albeit limited-ancillary, 2-D usage, say as a scoop blade, prising tongue or lever..

This is still consistent with an intended primary role as a 3-D erected form.

Thus, for example, a (shallow, progressive) curved (transverse and longitudinal) 3-D profile lends itself to adoption and use as a ladle, scoop or spoon.

A positive'snap action'transition from the 2-D to the 3-D form is desirable for ease of use and to confirm satisfactory adoption of the erected format.

This can be promoted by appropriate configuration of pre-creases and folds.

Similarly, selectively coupling, interfitting or internesting locking tab and slot elements are conveniently used to preserve the erected 3-D form.

Assembly or erection may be a single or two-handed operation.

Disassembly may be contrived to require a more deliberate action sequence.

This can help avoid inadvertent'reversion'to the more'compliant' (ie with less bending stiffness) 2-D form, particularly when in active load carrying use.

There now follows a description of some particular embodiments of the invention, by way of example only, in which: Figures 1 A and 1 B show a disassembled 2-D form.

More specifically: Figure 1 A shows a plan view of a flat, 2-D sheet, element, configured, in the manner of a'blank'or'carton blank', pre-configured with a'convoluted', re-entrant outline profile and sub-dividing linear and/or curved creases, cut-outs, slits and slots, as a formative, ready-to-erect, utensil ; Figure 1 B shows a (longitudinal) side elevation of Figure 1 A, depicting the flat sheet profile; Figures 2A and 2B show an assembled 3-D utensil.

More specifically: Figure 2A shows a plan view of the carton blank of Figure 1 A erected into a 3-D utensil format, in particular a scoop or spoon, with a shallow, scalloped,'blade'or'tongue' entrained, or integrated, with a tapering handle portion; Figure 2B shows a side elevation of the erected, 3-D utensil form of Figure 2A;

Figures 3A and 3B show progressive, incremental, stages in utensil assembly, from 2D to 3-D form.

More specifically : Figure 3A shows a perspective view of an initial stage of assembly of the utensil of Figures 1 A through 2B, with a protruding tongue of a bifurcated, or forked, nose, 'poised'for insertion into an elongate slot in an opposed nose portion; and Figure 3B shows a final assembled form, of Figures 2A and 2B, with the tongue and slot highlighted in Figure 3A full inserted or interfitted Figures 4A through 4F show various graphic treatments to the 2D form of the utensil.

More specifically : Figures 4A through 4F depict a notional rabbit, a pig, a cow, a sheep, a dog and a horse, respectively.

Figures 5A through 5G show various graphic treatments to the 3D utensil form, such that a notional character arises, forms, becomes apparent, or changes form or expression, upon erection of the spoon.

More specifically : Figures 5A through 5G depict a horse, a sheep, a pig, a rabbit, a cat, a dog and a cow, respectively.

Referring to the drawings, in Figures 1 A and 1 B, a splayed wedge or tab element 10 is of initial flat sheet material, such as either (relatively) stiff-albeit resiliently deformableplastics or coated card.

In overall planform, as depicted in Figure 1A, the 2-D tab element 10 is configured as a splayed, pronged claw, with opposed, generally round nosed limbs 11, 12.

The tab 10 is sub-divided, into a handle region 20 and a scoop region 30, by a curved boundary crease or fold (line) 18, from one side to another, generally at, or toward, one end.

Although minimal creases, folds or cuts assist fabrication, additional fold, crease or cut lines may be included (not shown), to allow an alternative folding configuration, or to facilitate utensil scaling Limbs 11 and 12 have a re-entrant, curvilinear nose profile, culminating in an intervening throat 31.

An inwardly-directed flared nose protrusion 21 on the limb 11 is disposed toward the opposite limb 12, ready for insertion into a complementary profiled diagonal linear slot 19 toward the inward edge thereof.

A slit 17 in the outer nose margin of the limb 11, allows the protrusion 21 to be flexed for insertion into the slot 19.

The slit 17 marks a stepped transition in the outer margin, with an outboard ledge 27 extending marginally beyond an inboard segment 29.

Whilst this edge step is apparent in the unerected 2-D form, it is concealed in the erected 3-D form by overlap of limbs 11 and 12-as depicted in Figure 2A.

The slit 17 is prised open or splayed by relative displacement-transversely to the plane of the element 10- (ie into or out of the page) of the ledge 27 and segment 29.

This enables the ledge 27 to overlie one side of limb 12, and similarly the segment 29 to underlie the other side thereof, when the protrusion 21 of limb 11 is inserted into the slot 19 of limb 12.

Such protrusion 21 insertion requires a preliminary overall pre-profiling of the element 10, by flex-folding about the curved crease 18.

This allows the element 10 to adopt composite differential, or reverse convex and

curved 3-D forms-as depicted in Figures 2B and 3B.

In that 3-D form, a spoon or ladle portion 30 adopts a shallow, scalloped profile.

Similarly, a handle portion 20 adopts a relatively steep, and so in that sense fairly abrupt, frusto-conical transitional or intervening'upstand'23, terminating in a progressively tapering end shelf or ledge 24.

The upstand 23 effectively braces and stiffens the overall structure-resisting both deformation of, and relative bending between, handle region 20 and spoon region 30.

The overall curvilinear 3-D form is achieved by a judicious combination of longitudinal and transverse bending about the aperture 13 as a focus-using modest opposed finger and thumb pressure while gripping the element 10.

This allows the limbs 11 and 12 to be brought together somewhat, closing the elongate longitudinal marginal throat 31 therebetween, in favour of inward edge overlap, as the protrusion 21 is inserted into the slot 19.

The 3-D form is maintained by selective interposition, and mutual interfitting interlock, of the slit 17 at one upper outward end of the slot 19 - leaving overlying ledge 27 and underlying segment 29.

As the transverse bending necessary for protrusion 21 to slot 19 insertion is relaxed, the bottom inner end of the slit 17 engages the top outward end of the slot 19-so inhibiting further relative travel and effectively locking together the limbs 11 and 12.

In this condition, the nose protrusion 21 cannot (casually or inadvertently) be withdrawn, that is without some careful manipulation, to free the slit 17, by realignment of protrusion 21 with slot 19.

Effectively, the curved crease 18 serves as a delineation between spoon and handle regions and forms a stiffening rim or rib to one side of the erected form-as may be appreciated more readily from Figures 2B and 3B.

Overall, the spoon region 30 is open to one side-to the left (upper) side of Figure 2B.

The crease rim upstand 18 lies to the opposite side-that is to the right (lower) side of Figure 2B.

Handling forces upon the handle or spoon regions 20,30 cannot reverse the prefold, unless and until the limbs 11,12 are uncoupled.

Integrated Utensil and Package A utensil, in particular one configured as a spoon, as described could be fitted within, or even combined or integrated with thin wall sheet carton packaging.

The element could be incorporated into the same sheet material as forming the carton, most likely a coated card, tied thereto by a severable umbilical to the carton, or as a loose insert.

Graphic Treatment The element could be enhanced graphically, by, say, depicting the limbs 11,12 as notional animal ears, limbs or other organs, such as paws or claws, to promote visual appeal in merchandising and promotion, as depicted, by way of example, in Figures 4A through 5G.

This or other features, and the overall configuration, could be adapted to convey a notional character.

Variants with different graphic treatments could form related or companion 'collectibles'in a set.

Characters could be presented under a common brand identity (eg SOONERS), which may be marked upon the utensil face along with an individual character designation.

Moreover, the transition from 2-D to 3-D form could be expressed or reinforced

graphically, by, say, a perceived change of expression, attitude or stance.

It is envisaged that this would appeal to infants and children.

Advantage might be taken of this visual appeal, as an emotional distraction, to encourage consumption of a beneficial, but perhaps otherwise unpalatable consumable, such as a medicine.

Thus, in that context, the item could be contrived as a bespoke medicine spoon.

More generally, packaging the utensil (vis spoon) in conjunction with foodstuffs, such as breakfast cereals, could help promote purchase and consumption.

Translucent or opaque variants, together with variants capable of different optical effects-such as when elements are mutually overlaid-are envisaged.

The application of colour or pattern to variants could be used to ensure correct erection of the utensil, requiring production of a specific pattern, say, as illustrated on the packaging.

Dimensionally, the spoon or bowl capacity could equate to a prescribed known volume-to allow use as a reference or standard measure. Fill level marks could be featured to this end.

This could be helpful when using the spoon for medicaments.

Component List 10 (tab) element 11 limb 12 limb 13 aperture 17 slit

1 8 crease I rim upstand 1 9 slot 20 handle region 21 protrusion 23 frusto-conical upstand 24 flared ledge 27 ledge 29 segment 30 spoon region 31 marginal throat

Claims

Claims 1.

A (folding) utensil, such as a (collapsible) spoon, ladle or scoop comprising, a portion of (initially) flat sheet material (10), sub-divided, by a pre-configured array, of co-operatively juxtaposed cuts (17, 19) and creases or folds (18), to admit or enable, by selective folding and sub-portion re-deployment, an erected 3-D form, in which one part serves a shallow bowl (30), and another part serves as a support handle (20), therefor.
2.

A folding utensil, as claimed in Claim 1, configured as an item of cutlery, in particular a spoon.
3.

A folding utensil, as claimed in Claim 1, configured as an item of crockery, or table ware, in particular, a dish, saucer or bowl.
4.

A folding utensil, as claimed in Claim 1, configured as a shallow tray.

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5.

A utensil, as claimed in any of the preceding claims, configured as a portion control, or volumetric capacity measure, or reference standard.
6.

A utensil, as claimed in any of the preceding claims, integrated with a carton or package.
7.

A utensil, substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.