JP2018099265A - Tongue - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a tongue, the tongue of which is kept clean after a stored state till it is used, so that it has no problem in a sanitation face.SOLUTION: A tongue used for pinching a food in place of finger tips comprises a tongue body 11 and a case 20 for inserting the tip of a tongue body. The tongue body includes: a curved spring part 12; a pair of operation parts 13 and 14 parallel from the spring portion to the leading end and gripped for performing a pinching operation; and food gripping parts 15 and 16 disposed at the leading ends of the operation parts. A projection 30 for functioning as a cover to close the insertion port of the case is formed at one or both of the paired operation parts thereby to close the insertion port of the case.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a tongue that is used instead of pinching an article with a fingertip.

  For example, when taking food such as bread and confectionery, tongs are used as an instrument to grasp without touching with fingers or hands. Various types of tongs are known, depending on the shape of the food to be grasped and the application, but it can be used instead of pinching or grabbing the food with your fingertips, that is, holding the food with the tongue. There are not many things that are intended to be carried and eaten.

  On the other hand, foods such as potato chips are eaten by picking them directly with the fingertips, but there is a problem that the fingers get oily. You can wipe your fingertips with a table napkin etc., but it is inevitable that you feel troublesome. Therefore, the present invention provides a tong that is carried directly to the mouth and eats instead of pinching with a finger for food such as potato chips. In addition to the above-mentioned problems with soiling, the target foods are diverse, such as pickles and other things that smell like fingers.

  A search of the prior art considered to be used for this purpose has found several, for example, Design Registration No. 1396694 discloses a tong that is used to keep hands clean when eating snacks such as potato chips. ing. This tong shown in the design is devised to provide a convex portion so that the tip for clamping does not contact the table surface when placed on a table or desk. However, the front end portion remains exposed before and after use, and a problem remains in terms of hygiene.

  Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-55574 discloses a tongue having a case. In the above invention, the portion of the tongue that touches the object is housed in a releasable sheath. When the body of the tongue is housed in the sheath, the brim that prevents excessive insertion and the body is fixed to the case in the housed state. It has a drop-off prevention means consisting of depressions and protrusions. However, even if the tong body is housed in the case, the body is open, so that foreign matter such as dust and dirt may enter through it, which is unsanitary.

Design registration No. 1396694 JP 2012-55574 A

  This invention is made | formed in view of the said point, The subject is providing the tong which does not have a problem in terms of hygiene from which a tong is kept clean until it uses it from a stowed state. Moreover, the other subject of this invention is providing the tongs which can be used suitably according to the form and property of a foodstuff.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides:
Tongs to use instead of pinching or grabbing food with your fingertips,
The tongue is composed of a tongue body and a case into which the tip of the tongue body is inserted.
The tongue body has a curved spring part, a pair of operation parts that are parallel to the spring part toward the tip, and are held by the hand, and a food grip part provided at the tip of the operation part. And
Means is provided in which a protrusion that protrudes from one or both of the pair of operation portions in the opposite direction and functions as a lid that closes the insertion port of the case is provided.

  The protrusions are provided on the opposing surfaces of the pair of operation units, but a method of providing each of the pair of operation units and a method of providing only one of the pair of operation units can be employed. When provided on each of the pair of operation units, the size of the projection is approximately half the area of the projection provided only on one of the pair of operation units.

  The tong main body according to the present invention is provided with engaging means on the tong main body and the case, respectively, which engage with each other in the housed state in which the distal ends are inserted into the case. In the stored state, the outside of the tongue main body contacts the inner surface of the case, and the space between the operating portions of the tongue main body is blocked by the protrusion.

  The operation portion is made of an elastic material, and the protrusion can constitute a gripping force defining means in which the gripping force changes depending on the degree of contact even if the gripping portion comes into contact with the operation portion. When the tip of the tongue main body is almost closed, the gripping force increases when more force is applied, but it is also possible to open the tip with the projection serving as a fulcrum.

  As the engaging means, each of the pair of tong main bodies is provided with a convex portion protruding laterally, and each of the two convex portions is provided on the left and right sides, closer to the tip than the center of gravity of the tong main body. The grip portion can be configured to be away from the table top surface when the tongue body is placed on the table.

  Also, the tongue body has a spring portion having a curved shape with a diameter slightly larger than the interval between the pair of parallel operation portions, and has a food gripping portion at the tip of the operation portion as a whole in a substantially U (Ω) shape. It is formed, and when the pair of operation parts are operated with two fingers respectively, the configuration in which the finger contact part operated by the finger to which the force is applied is provided in the operation part is easy to use the tongue according to the present invention. It is effective in doing.

  Since the present invention is configured and operates as described above, the tongs can be kept clean until the time of use, and a tong having no problem in terms of hygiene can be provided. Moreover, according to this invention, the tongs which can be used suitably according to the form and property of a foodstuff can be provided.

It is a perspective view which shows an example of the tongue for food which concerns on this invention. It is explanatory drawing which decomposes | disassembles and shows a tongue to the same as a tongue main body and a case. Similarly, regarding the operation of the food tongue, A is a state where the food is not operated, B is a state where the food is gripped, and C is a side explanatory view showing a state where the food is stored in the case. Similarly, A is related to the action of the food tongue, A is a state where the tip is almost approached, B is a state where the force is slightly increased and the protrusion is closest, and C is a case where the insertion port of the case is closed by the protruding piece. FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IVC-IVC in FIG. 3C, showing a state. Similarly, it relates to the use of food tongs, A is a side explanatory view of the state of use, and B is an explanatory view of the state in which the case insertion part is closed by the protrusion as seen from the side.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to illustrated embodiments. The food tongue 10 according to the present invention includes a tongue body 11 and a case 20 into which the tip of the tongue body 11 is inserted. The tongue 10 of the present invention is formed by plastic molding and is made of an elastic material.

  The tongue main body 11 has a curved spring portion 12, a pair of operation portions 13 and 14 for holding and holding in parallel, from the spring portion toward the tip, and the tips of the operation portions 13 and 14. The food grip portions 15 and 16 are provided.

  The tongue body 11 has a spring portion 12 having a curved shape with a diameter larger than the interval between a pair of parallel operation portions 13 and 14, and gripping portions 15 and 16 for food P are provided on the distal ends of the operation portions 13 and 14. It has a substantially U-shape as a whole. More specifically, the pair of operation portions 13 and 14 is formed so that one third of the total length on the spring portion 12 side is a constant width, and the remaining two thirds are on the grip portion side of the tip. The grip portions 15 and 16 are formed to be slightly wider.

  In this embodiment, the spring portion 12 is substantially circular and its diameter is larger than the interval at the boundary with the operation portions 13 and 14, so that the spring portion 12 swells with respect to the interval between the operation portions 13 and 14. For this reason, at the time of operation, the spring part 12 has a function of entering the palm and stabilizing the holding.

  Further, when the spring portion 12 enters the palm, it is intended that the finger to which the force is applied is positioned at the finger contact portion 17 when the pair of operation portions 13 and 14 are operated. That is, one operating portion 13 is composed of an inclined portion 13a that occupies from the spring portion 12 to a position that is about one third of the total length, and a flat portion 13b that is located on the distal end side of the pair of operating portions 13 and 14. Yes. The finger pad portion 17 is a portion provided across the boundary between the inclined portion 13a and the flat portion 13b.

  Engaging means are provided in the tongue main body 11 and the case 20, respectively, so as to engage with each other when the front end portion of the tongue main body 11 is inserted into the case 20 to be stored. On the left and right sides of the pair of tong bodies 13, 14, convex portions 23, 23, 24, 24 having neck portions 21, 21, 22, 22 are provided as engaging means, respectively.

  The protrusions 23, 23, 24, 24 are engagement recesses 27 having engagement necks 25, 25, 26, 26 provided in the case 20 as engagement means in the necks 21, 21, 22, 22. 27, 28 and 28 are configured to be engaged. The engagement neck portions 25, 25, 26, and 26 are formed narrower than the neck portions 21, 21, 22, and 22, and can be engaged and separated by the elasticity of the case 20 to prevent the possibility of accidental disengagement.

  Further, the convex portions 23, 23, 24, 24 are located closer to the tip than the center of gravity of the tongue body 11. Therefore, when the tongue body 11 is placed on the table, the grips 15 and 16 are naturally separated from the table top (see FIG. 5B).

  With the above configuration, the tongue main bodies 11 are engaged with each other by the engaging means in the housed state in which the front end portions are inserted into the case 20. When the engaging means are engaged with each other, the tongue body 11 is housed in the case 20, and in the housed state, the outside 11a of the tongue body 11 contacts the inner surface 20a of the case 20 without any gap (FIGS. 3C and 4C). reference).

  One or both of the pair of operation portions 13 and 14 are provided with a protrusion 30 that protrudes in the opposite direction and functions as a lid that closes the insertion port 29 of the case 20. In the illustrated embodiment, the projecting portion 30 is composed of projecting pieces 31 and 32 provided on each of the pair of operating portions 13 and 14. Thus, the space S between the operating portions of the tongue body 11 is projected. Blocked by the portion 30. The projecting pieces 31 and 32 are slightly inclined forward at the upper part (31) and backward at the lower part (32), and the tip part is opened by the force when the finger pad 17 is operated. Considered to be difficult.

  The protruding pieces 31 and 32 are arranged at the positions of the convex portions 23, 23, 24, and 24 of the pair of operation portions 13 and 14, and have a width that is substantially equal to the width of the pair of operation portions 13 and 14 at that position. (See FIG. 4C). The protruding pieces 31 and 32 are separated when no force is applied (FIGS. 3A and 4A), but approach when the force is applied (FIG. 4B). On the other hand, the tip of the tongue 10 is closed according to the strength of the operating force, and the projecting pieces 31 and 32 are arranged so as to overlap each other after approaching.

  Therefore, if the force applied to the operation parts 13 and 14 is increased, the protruding pieces 31 and 32 will approach each other and increase the overlap, and the force to grip the food P will be stronger accordingly. It can be adjusted over a wide range. On the other hand, the present invention can be configured without shifting the protruding pieces 31 and 32 back and forth. For example, it is also possible to arrange the protruding pieces 31 and 32 so as to abut against each other. In this case, when the protruding pieces 31 and 32 abut, the pair of gripping portions 15 and 16 come into contact with each other so that the food P is substantially constant. It becomes possible to hold with the power of.

  Further, the food tongue 10 according to the present invention will be described. When the user removes the tongue body 11 from the case 20, the pair of gripping portions 15, 16 slightly open or substantially parallel as shown in FIG. It is in a state (FIG. 3A). When this is held in the hand, the other operation unit 14 is supported by, for example, a thumb, and the index finger takes the form of operating the vicinity of the finger contact unit 17 of the one operation unit 13.

  When a force is applied to the finger contact part 17 with any finger, the pair of gripping parts 15 and 16 can be applied in the closing direction, and the food P can be gripped with an appropriate force F1 and carried directly to the mouth. (Fig. 3B, Fig. 5A). When the pair of gripping portions 15 and 16 are closed and the force F2 is applied so that the protruding pieces 31 and 32 approach each other, it is in a state suitable for gripping a fragile flaky food P such as potato chips. It can be said that there is (FIG. 4B).

  In the case of a configuration in which the pair of gripping portions 15 and 16 abut, when a strong force is further applied to the operation portions 13 and 14 from the closed state, the protruding pieces 31 and 32 become fulcrums, and the pair of gripping portions 15 and 16 are Although it tends to open again, if the protruding piece 31 is inclined forward and the protruding piece 32 is inclined backward, it cannot be easily opened. In the tongue body 11 made of an elastic material, if force is applied to the operation parts 13 and 14 and the protruding pieces 31 and 32 serve as fulcrums, the acting force may act on the pair of gripping parts 15 and 16 due to the lever principle. Yes, but still not difficult to use.

  According to the present invention configured as described above, the protrusions 23, 23, 24, 24 are located closer to the tip than the center of gravity of the tongue body 11, and when the tongue body 11 is placed on a table Thus, the grips 15 and 16 are separated from the table top surface. Moreover, since it can be inserted in the case 20 until it is in use, there is no fear of getting dirty, and it does not become unsanitary.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Tongue 11 Tongue main body 12 Spring part 13,14 A pair of operation part 15,16 A pair of grip part 17 Fingering part 20 Case 21,22 Neck part 23,24 Projection part 25,26 Engagement neck part 27,28 Engagement recessed part 30 Projection 31, 32 Projection piece

Claims (4)

Tongs that use food instead of pinching with your fingertips,
The tongue is composed of a tongue body and a case into which the tip of the tongue body is inserted.
The tongue body has a curved spring part, a pair of operation parts that are parallel to the spring part toward the tip, and are held by the hand, and a food grip part provided at the tip of the operation part. And
A food tongue comprising one or both of a pair of operating portions provided with a protruding portion that protrudes in the opposite direction and functions as a lid that closes the insertion port of the case. Engagement means are provided on the tongue body and the case, respectively, to engage with each other in the stored state where the tip of the tong body is inserted into the case, and in the stored state, the outside of the tongue body contacts the inner surface of the case. The tongs for food according to claim 1, wherein the space between the operation portions of the main body is closed by a protrusion. As engaging means, convex portions projecting to the sides of the pair of tongue bodies are provided, and the convex portions are located closer to the tip than the center of gravity of the tongue body, and the tongue body is placed on the tabletop. The food tongue according to claim 2, wherein the gripping portion is configured to be separated from the table top surface when placed. The tongue main body has a spring portion having a curved shape with a diameter larger than the interval between a pair of parallel operation portions, and has a generally U-shaped gripping portion for food at the tip of the operation portion.
The food tongue according to claim 1, wherein when operating the pair of operation units with two fingers, a finger contact unit operated by a finger to which a force is applied is provided in the operation unit.

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