GB2442556A

GB2442556A - Eating utensil

Info

Publication number: GB2442556A
Application number: GB0718212A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Salem; Paul Banks
Original assignee: Lindam Ltd
Current assignee: Lindam Ltd
Priority date: 2006-10-07
Filing date: 2007-09-18
Publication date: 2008-04-09
Also published as: GB0718212D0; GB0619902D0

Abstract

The food-supporting portion 6 of an eating utensil 2 includes one or more apertures and/or slots 44, 46, 48 therethrough. The apertures/slots may be in a dished central part of the supporting portion 6 and may be spaced equidistantly. The slots may extend along the portion 6 and be tapered at both ends. A handle portion 4 may be shaped to enhance grip and may be formed integrally with the supporting portion 6. The utensil is intended to be easy and safe for a small child to use with no sharp parts and may be formed substantially from rubber.

Description

* 2442556

I

Utensil The present invention relates to a utensil and particularly, but not necessarily exclusively, to a utensil in the form of a child's fork.

As a child grows up there is a gradual transition from the child being fed by an adult using an appropriate utensil, to the child learning how to use an appropriate utensil to feed themselves.

Since forks typically have prongs provided thereon which can create sharp points or edges which can result in injury to a child, such as cut the child's mouth and/or hands, a spoon is conventionally used to feed the child. However, this does not teach a child how to use a conventional fork. In an attempt to avoid this problem, the fork prongs can be formed from rubber but this typically does not allow the child to adequately spike food in a manner which would allow a child to lift the food from a plate to their mouth. As such, forks are generally not used for children of a relatively young age.

It is therefore an aim of the present invention to provide a utensil, and particularly to a utensil for use by a child, which is safe and easy to use and which teaches a child how to use conventional utensils or cutlery.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a utensil, said utensil including a handle portion and a support portion for supporting one or more items thereon, the support portion being of such shape and dimensions to allow insertion into a user's mouth in use, and wherein the support portion includes one or more apertures and/or slots therein.

The one or more apertures and/or slots create a prong type of arrangement but without the free sharp ends being provided, thereby giving the utensil the appearance of a conventional fork and having fork like qualities to allow a user, such as a young child to learn how to eat using the same without causing the child injury.

The one or more apertures and/or slots typically pass from a front surface of the support portion to a rear surface thereof.

Preferably the one or more apertures and/or slots are substantially elongate in form and preferably are arranged substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the utensil.

Preferably at least one aperture or slot is provided substantially centrally of said support portion.

Preferably a plurality of apertures or slots are provided and said apertures are slots are provided substantially equidistance apart.

Preferably the support portion has a recess or cavity defined on the front surface thereof. Thus, in one example, the front surface of the support portion has a similar shape to the front surface of a conventional spoon.

The one or more apertures or slots are typically defined in the recess or cavity portion Further preferably substantially the entire front surface of the support portion is in the shape of a recess or cavity.

In one embodiment one or more of the apertures and/or slots are shaped so as to form a narrowing taper towards at least a free end of the support portion (i.e. furthest from the handle portion). Typically the edges defining the aperture or slot meet at a point towards the free end of the support portion.

Preferably the one or more apertures or slots are shaped so as to form a narrowing taper towards a handle portion end of the support portion. In one embodiment the apertures and/or slots are tapered at both ends thereof.

The handle portion is typically located at one end of the support portion.

In one embodiment the handle portion is integrally formed with the support portion but it can be attached to the support portion and/or be detachably attached thereto.

Preferably the handle portion is substantially elongate in form to allow the same to be easily gripped by a user.

Further preferably the handle portion is ergonomically designed to allow the same to be easily gripped by a user. For example, one or more portions of one or more surfaces and/or edges of the handle portion are typically provided with one or more recesses, concave and/or curved portions to allow a user's finger or fingers to be located therein when gripping the handle portion.

The handle portion typically includes a top, base and sides. In one embodiment at least one recessed portion is provided on at least one side and preferably on each side edge of the handle portion substantially opposite to each other to form a narrowing of the handle portion.

Preferably a neck portion is provided at or adjacent the point where the handle portion joins the support portion. The neck portion is typically narrower in width than the handle portion and the support portion to allow the neck portion to be easily located in a user's mouth.

The utensil is preferably in the form of an item of cutlery and further preferably in the form of a fork or fork/spoon combination.

Preferably the utensil is formed from any or any combination of rubber, plastic, metal and/or the like. In a preferred embodiment the utensil is formed substantially from rubber.

In one embodiment at least the handle portion is formed from a substantially rigid material, such as plastic or polypropylene, with at least a partial rubber outer covering. The inner plastic material provides strength and rigidity to the handle portion.

The support portion in one embodiment is provided substantially from rubber.

Preferably the free end of the front surface of the support portion is flatter and less curved than the remaining surface of the support portion to allow a user to more easily shovel one or more items, such as food, onto the same. Further preferably the portion of the support portion adjacent the free end is substantially planar and sloped in form. Thus, the difference in shape of the free end of the support portion to the remaining surface of the support portion allows said free end to act as a shovel type arrangement.

Preferably gripping means are provided on at least the handle portion of the utensil. The gripping means can include any or any combination of one or more dimpled members, protruding members, textured surfaces, high friction surfaces and/or the like.

According to further independent aspects of the present invention there is provided an item of cutlery; a child cutlery training aid; and a fork.

According to a yet further aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of using a utensil, said utensil including a handle portion and a support portion, the method including a user supporting one or more items on the support portion, inserting the support portion into a user's mouth, the support portion including one or more apertures and/or slots therein.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein: Figures la-if show a front end of a fork, a rear end, a side view, a plan view of an upper surface of the fork, a plan view of a lower surface of the fork and a perspective view of the fork.

Referring to the figures, there is illustrated a child's training fork 2 according to the present invention. The child's training fork is used to help teach a child how to eat properly and safely using a fork like utensil without injuring the child.

The fork 2 includes an elongate handle portion 4 and a support portion 6.

The handle portion 4 has an upper surface 8, a lower surface 10, side edges 12, 14, a free end 16 and an end 18 joined to a neck portion 20.

The handle portion is relatively thick compared to the support portion to allow a child to easily grip the same. In addition, the handle portion is ergonomically designed to allow easy gripping by a child. More particularly, two recess portions 22, 24 are provided substantially opposite to each other on edges 12, 14 to allow a child to comfortably locate one or more fingers and/or thumbs therein. The recess portions 22, 24 are typically provided towards end 18 of the handle portion. At least a portion of the edges, 12, 14 between the recess portions 22, 24 and the free end 16 has a plurality of spaced apart curves or concave portions 26 defined therein to allow a part of the child's hand, one or more fingers and/or thumbs to be comfortably located therein. The concave portions 26 on edges 12, 14 are typically provided substantially opposite to each other. Protrusion portions 27 are typically defined between said concave portions 26 and are also substantially opposite to each other on edges 12, 14.

The upper surface 8 is typically substantially outwardly curved or convexed in shape from free end 16 to end 18 and also from side edge 12 to side edge 14, as shown in figures ic and if respectively.

The lower surface 10 is typically generally outwardly curved or convexed in shape from free end 16 to end 18. Recesses 28 are defined in lower surface 10 with protrusions 30 located between said recesses, thereby creating a wavy or undulating edge along a ridge of the lower surface of the handle portion.

The recesses 28 and protrusions 30 are typically provided a spaced distance apart longitudinally of the handle portion.

Each recess 28 and protrusion 30 is elongate in form and the length of the same is provided substantially transversally of the handle portion (i.e. from edge 12 to edge 14). More specifically, each protrusion 30 is substantially oval in form in the illustrated example and the narrowest ends of the oval are provided adjacent edges 12, 14.

The curves, recesses and/or concave portions on the handle portion are typically substantially smooth and continuous so as to avoid any sharp or rough edges.

Further gripping means can be provided on the handle portion to improve a child's grip on the same. These gripping means typically include one or more textured, ribbed and/or dimpled members, and/or is formed from a material with a higher surface friction than the material from which the surrounding handle portion is formed from, located at suitable positions on the handle portion. For example, in the illustrated example, protrusions 30 provided on lower surface 10 and spaced apart elongate strips 32 provided on upper surface 8 running longitudinally of handle portion 4 can be formed from a smooth plastics type of material, whilst the remaining part of the handle portion can be formed from a textured rubber material which has a higher surface friction than the surrounding material.

The neck portion 20 is located between handle portion 4 and support portion 6. It is substantially narrower in diameter than handle portion 4 and support portion 6 so as to allow entry into a user's mouth and to define a clear region between the handle portion and support portion to train a child as to which portion they should be gripping and which portion they should be locating food on.

The support portion 6 has an upper surface 34, a lower surface 36, a free end 38 and an end 40 joined to neck portion 20.

Substantially the entire upper surface 34 is concaved in shape to form a recess 42 therein. The recess 42 allows a child to easily locate food therein to allow passage of the food from a plate or bowl to the child's mouth.

In order to train the child to use conventional cutlery items in the form of a knife, fork and/or spoon, a plurality of prong type of arrangements are formed in the support portion. However, unlike conventional fork prongs which have sharp free ends thereon which can cause injury to a young child, the free ends of the prong type of arrangements in the present invention are closed off to prevent injury.

More particularly the prong type of arrangements are defined between elongate shaped apertures 44, 46, 48 defined between upper and lower surfaces 34, 36. The apertures 44, 46, 48 are a spaced distance apart and are substantially elongate and oval shaped in form. The narrowing tapered ends of apertures 44, 46, 48 are provided towards ends 38, 40 (i.e. the aperture are longitudinally arranged in support portion 6). Aperture 46 is typically larger than the adjacent apertures and provided substantially centrally of said support portion 6.

The free end 38 provides a relatively flat and planar sloped edge so as to avoid any sharp edges but allows food to be easily shovelled by a young child onto the end thereof.

The handle portion, neck portion and support portion are typically integrally formed.

It will be appreciated that one or more of the ergonomic features can be provided alone or in combination with one or more other ergonomic features as required.

Claims

Claims: 1. A utensil, said utensil including a handle portion and a

support portion for supporting one or more items thereon, the support portion being of such shape and dimensions to allow insertion into a user's mouth in use, and wherein the support portion includes one or more apertures and/or slots therein.
2. A utensil according to claim I wherein the one or more apertures and/or slots pass from a front surface of the support portion to a rear surface of the support portion.
3. A utensil according to claim I wherein the one or more apertures and/or slots are substantially elongate in form and are arranged substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the utensil.
4. A utensil according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said apertures and/or slots is provided substantially centrally of said support portion.
5. A utensil according to claim 1 wherein a plurality of apertures and/or slots are provided in said support portion and said apertures and/or slots are provided a substantially equidistance apart.
6. A utensil according to claim 1 wherein the support portion has a recess or cavity defined on a front surface thereof.
7. A utensil according to claim 6 wherein the one or more apertures and/or slots are defined in said recess or cavity of said support portion.
8. A utensil according to claim 6 wherein substantially all the front surface of the support portion is in the form of a recess or cavity.
9. A utensil according to claim I wherein one or more of the apertures and/or slots have a narrowing taper towards at least a free end of the support portion.
10. A utensil according to claim I wherein one or more of the apertures and/or slots have a narrowing taper towards the handle portion.
11. A utensil according to claim 1 wherein one or more apertures and/or slots have a narrowing taper at both ends thereof.
12. A utensil according to claim I wherein the handle portion is integrally formed with the support portion.
13. A utensil according to claim I wherein the handle portion is substantially elongate in form.
14. A utensil according to claim 1 wherein the handle portion is ergonomically designed to allow a user to easily grip the same in use.
15. A utensil according to claim I wherein the handle portion includes a top surface, base and sides, and at least one recessed portion is provided on at least one of the sides.
16. A utensil according to claim 15 wherein at least one recessed portion is provided on both sides of the handle portion at substantially opposite locations.
17. A utensil according to claim I wherein a neck portion is provided between the handle portion and the support portion, the neck portion being narrower in width than the handle portion and the support portion.
18. A utensil according to claim 1 wherein a free end of the front surface of the support portion is provided with a planar or flatter surface compared to the remainder of the front surface of the support portion.
19. A utensil according to claim I wherein gripping means are provided on the handle portion.
20. A utensil according to claim 19 wherein the gripping means includes any or any combination of one or more dimpled members, protruding members, textured surface or high friction surface.
21. A utensil according to claim I wherein the utensil is an item of cutlery.
22. A utensil according to claim I wherein the utensil is in the form of a fork or fork/spoon combination.
23. A utensil according to claim I wherein the utensil is formed substantially from rubber.
24. A method of using a utensil, said utensil including a handle portion and a support portion, the method including a user supporting one or more items on the support portion, inserting the support portion into a user's mouth, the support portion including one or more apertures and/or slots therein.