JPH08280514A - Tableware - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a tableware allowing an infant to naturally learn the correct holding and using method when eating and capable of securing safety against an injury. CONSTITUTION: When a spoon, fork, and knife for an infant to be held by hand is formed, at least a grip section 3 is made of an elastic material having a prescribed size, and guide recesses 4, 6, 7 guiding the grip positions of fingers when it is gripped are formed on the grip section 3.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to tableware, spoons, forks, knives and the like used for infants.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Usually, spoons and forks are used in infants' meals to make them easy to eat. However, there is a problem that a general spoon or fork whose handle has a thin plate shape is difficult for an infant to spill food and is difficult to handle. Such a problem is not limited to infants, but is also applicable to handicapped elderly and disabled persons.

[0003] Therefore, conventionally, there is one in which a grip portion of a spoon or a fork is thickened, or a recess is formed in a portion of the grip portion where a finger is brought into contact with the grip portion to make it easy to grip (for example, an actual flat blade 3-45775). (See the official gazette).

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional tableware for infants, since the gripping portion is simply thickened or the recess is provided, the shape and position of the recess can be improved although some improvement can be recognized. There is still some dissatisfaction with the ease of gripping due to insufficient examination of the direction. There is also a problem that it is not possible to teach the infant how to hold it correctly or how to use it. In addition, conventional spoons and forks are generally made of metal or plastic,
There is concern about the safety of injuries when used by infants.

On the other hand, when using both a fork and a knife to eat Western food, there are cases where it is difficult and unsuccessful to separate the food with the knife while pressing the food with the fork. This applies not only to infants but also to adults, and improvements in this respect are also required.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional circumstances, and it is easy to grasp tableware, learn how to hold it properly while eating, and secure safety, and use a fork and a knife. The purpose is to provide tableware that can reduce the labor when eating.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a tableware to be held by hand, wherein at least the holding portion is made of an elastic material having a predetermined thickness, and the holding portion is provided with the elastic material. It is characterized in that a guide recess is formed to guide the gripping position of each finger when gripping.

The invention of claim 2 is characterized in that the tableware is a spoon for a baby or a fork for a baby, and a guide recess is formed in the rear part of the bottom surface of the gripping part for contact between the index finger and the base of the thumb. There is.

The invention of claim 3 is characterized in that the tableware is a spoon for infants, and a bulge portion is formed at a portion of the spoon corresponding to the mouth.

The invention of claim 4 is characterized in that the tableware is a baby fork, and a hook-like return portion is formed at the tip of the fork.

The invention of claims 5 and 6 is characterized in that the tableware is a fork or knife for western food or infants, and a pressing recess for pressing with an index finger is formed on the rear surface of the base of these.

The material used in the present invention is, from the viewpoint of food hygiene and safety assurance against injuries, the type of tableware, the part to be used (blade, gripping part, etc.) and application (for example, for infants or elderly people). It is decided based on such as) As the elastic material, for example, perylene, which is a polyester-based elastomer manufactured by Toyobo Co., Ltd., can be used, and as the synthetic resin having an appropriate hardness, for example, U polymer manufactured by Unitika Co., Ltd. can be used. The hardness and elasticity of the elastomer, the hardness of the synthetic resin, and the like can be appropriately changed according to the method of forming tableware, the type of tableware, the age of the user, and the like. For example, the cutting edge of tableware such as dessert forks and knives (hereinafter referred to as dessert forks and dessert knives) that cuts and stabs food has high hardness, and these grips are elastic with moderate elasticity. It is preferably made of body material. In addition, it can be used to cut or stab food such as spoons and forks that do not require great hardness (for example rice, spaghetti, cakes, flexible spoons and flexible forks), meal spoons (soup), etc. It is preferable that the whole tableware is integrally formed of an elastic material having a moderate elasticity and a relatively low hardness.

The method of manufacturing tableware of the present invention is a method of integrally molding the whole tableware by injection molding using the above elastic material, or a method of joining the integrally molded constituent parts, for example, the cutting edge portion is made of synthetic resin, It can be formed by a method of integrally forming the grip portion with an elastic material, manufacturing each component portion by integral molding, and then joining these. The method of joining may be either an adhesive method or a melting method, but a melting method is more preferable.

As described above, the flexible spoon, the flexible fork, the meal spoon and the like are preferably formed by integrally molding the whole tableware with an elastic material having appropriate elasticity and hardness. Manufacturing by this method is desirable. Of course, these dishes can also be manufactured by a joining method, for example, a method of joining the cutting edge portion and the grip portion. However, for dishes such as dessert knives and dessert forks that require sufficient hardness at the cutting edge, the cutting edge is made of high-hardness synthetic resin, and the grip is made of an elastic material with appropriate elasticity. After that, both parts may be joined together by a method such as melting, and the tableware according to claims 5 to 6 is preferably produced by this method. of course,
It can also be manufactured by integral molding.

[0015]

In the tableware according to the first aspect of the present invention, since the guide concave portion for guiding the gripping position of each finger is formed in the grip portion having a predetermined thickness, the finger is brought into contact along the shape of each guide concave portion. By doing so, you can naturally learn how to hold it correctly, and by eating in this state, you can learn how to use it at the same time. Further, since the grip portion is made of an elastic material, it is possible to ensure safety without being injured by any cause during eating.

In the tableware according to the second aspect of the present invention, the rear bottom surface of the grip portion is formed with the guide concave portion where the base portions of the thumb and forefinger come into contact, so that it can be firmly held even by an infant having a weak gripping force. It is possible to obtain a more stable feeling.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the mouth portion of the meal spoon is bulged, it is possible to avoid spilling when carrying food to the mouth, and an infant or handicapped person eats alone. If ingested will be easier.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the hook-shaped return is formed at the tip of the fork, it is possible to eliminate the omission when the food is stabbed, and in this case as well, the meal can be easily eaten.

According to the fifth and sixth aspects of the present invention, since the depression recess is formed on the back surface of the base of the dessert fork for Western food or infant and the dessert knife, it can be pressed strongly with the forefinger, and food can be pressed with the fork. The labor required for cutting with a knife can be reduced, and even weak children or persons with disabilities can easily eat.

[0020]

The present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Embodiment 1 FIGS. 1 to 4 are views for explaining a tableware according to an embodiment of the invention of claims 1 and 2, and FIGS. 1 to 4 are left side views of a flexible spoon for infants of this embodiment, respectively. FIG. 4 is a plan view, a rear view, and a perspective view seen from diagonally below.

In the figure, reference numeral 1 is a flexible spoon for infants of this embodiment, which is for holding by the right hand, and is made of an elastic material having a proper elasticity between the normal spoon portion 2 and the grip portion 3 [for example, Toyobo Co., Ltd. Perprene] integrated molding or elastic material and other synthetic resin [for example Unitika Co. U polymer] bonding, etc. It was done.

The grip portion 2 is thick enough to be gripped by the thumb and the index finger, and the outer peripheral surface of the grip portion 2 is contacted by the thumb, the index finger, and the middle finger, respectively.
~ 7 are formed. The left side surface of the grip portion 2 is a first guide recess 4 for guiding a grip position when a thumb is in contact.
However, a second guide recess 5 is provided on the right side surface for guiding the grip position when the index finger comes into contact with the second guide recess 5. The shapes of the first and second guide recesses 4 and 5 are set so that when the thumb and forefinger are run along, substantially the entire area of the finger and the base of the finger make contact.

The bottom surface of the grip portion 2 is provided with a third guide recess 6 for guiding the grip position when the middle finger comes into contact, and the guide recess 6 has a shape in which the fingertip portion of the middle finger comes into contact. ing. Further, a fourth guide recess 6 on the bottom surface of the grip portion 2 is in contact with a rear portion of the third guide concave portion 6 where the base portions of the thumb and the forefinger come into contact.
A guide recess 7 is formed. The fourth guide recess 7 is
When the thumb, the index finger, and the middle finger are respectively guided along the guide recesses 4 to 6, the base portions naturally come into contact with each other.

Flexible spoon 1 for infants of this embodiment
In order to use, the right hand is grasped from below the grasping part 3 like grasping a pencil. Then, the thumb and the index finger are respectively brought into contact with the first and second guide concave portions 4 and 5, and the middle finger is brought into contact with the third guide concave portion 6, whereby the fourth guide concave portion 7 is formed.
The bases of the thumb and forefinger will come into contact with each other. In this case, the ring finger and the little finger bend inward along the middle finger.

In this way, the grip portion 3 is formed by substantially the entire palm of the right hand.
There is a sense of stability when gripping because it is gripping, and it is much easier to grip than before. In addition, it is possible to naturally learn the correct way of holding by simply passing the hands along the guide recesses 4 to 7, and by eating in this state, it is possible to learn how to use it at the same time. Further, in the present embodiment, the fourth guide concave portion 7 is provided at the portion where the bases of the thumb and the index finger contact.
Since it is formed, it can be firmly held even by an infant having a weak gripping force, and a more stable feeling can be obtained. By the way, when the test was conducted on several dozen infants, almost all of them were highly evaluated, and the ease of use by the fourth guide recess 7 was particularly well received.

The flexible spoon 1 of this embodiment is also used.
Then, since the spoon portion 2 and the grip portion 3 are integrally formed of the elastic material, it is possible to prevent injuries due to mischief and pranks during meals, and it is possible to use with confidence. Here, the spoon portion 2 and the grip portion 3 may be different in hardness and elasticity, and in this case, it is preferable that the spoon portion 2 is hard and the grip portion 3 is slightly soft. Alternatively, the spoon portion 2 and the grip portion 3 may be separately formed of different materials, for example, synthetic resin and elastic material, and they may be joined and integrated. Furthermore, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the spoon for infants is taken as an example, but the spoon of the present invention can of course be used for the elderly and the disabled.

Embodiment 2 FIGS. 5 and 6 are views for explaining an infant meal meal spoon according to an embodiment of the invention of claim 3, and FIGS. 5 and 6 are plan views of the spoon of this embodiment. FIG. In the figure, the same reference numerals as those in FIGS. 1 and 2 indicate the same or corresponding portions.

The meal spoon 10 for infants of this embodiment is
The spoon portion 11 and the grip portion 12 are integrally formed of an elastic material, and the grip portion 11 is formed with first to fourth guide recesses 4 to 7 with which the thumb, the index finger, and the middle finger come into contact. The basic structure is similar to that of the first embodiment. Further, it can be formed by the joining method as in the first embodiment.

The bulging portion 11 is formed on the spoon portion 11.
a is integrally formed. The bulging portion 11a is formed by projecting the left side portion corresponding to the mouthpiece in a plan view to the outside, thereby forming a narrow drinking mouth.

In the infant meal spoon 10 of this embodiment, the first to fourth guide recesses 4 to 7 are formed in the grip portion 12 made of an elastic material, so that the food can be properly held while ensuring safety during meals. However, the user can learn how to use it, and the same effect as that of the above embodiment can be obtained.

Further, since the bulging portion 11a is formed in the mouth portion of the spoon portion 11, the width of the drinking mouth can be reduced and, for example, when soup is drunk, it does not easily spill.

Embodiment 3 FIGS. 7 to 9 are views for explaining a flexible fork for a baby according to an embodiment of the present invention.
7 to 9 are a plan view, a left side view and a rear view of the fork of this embodiment, respectively. In the figure, the same reference numerals as those in FIGS. 1 and 2 indicate the same or corresponding portions.

Flexible infant fork 1 of the present embodiment
5, the fork portion 16 and the grip portion 17 are integrally formed of an elastic material, and the grip portion 17 is formed with first to fourth guide recesses 4 to 7 with which the thumb, the index finger, and the middle finger come into contact. The basic structure is similar to that of the first embodiment. It can be formed by the joining method as in the first embodiment. And each cutting edge 16a of the fork portion 16
A hook-shaped return portion 16b is integrally formed on the.

In the present embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the effect of being able to learn the correct way of holding and how to use it while securing safety during meals can be obtained. Further, since the return portion 16b is integrally formed on each blade edge 16a of the fork portion 16, the return portion 16b is caught when the food is stabbed, so that the return portion 16b does not fall off.

In this embodiment, the return portion 16b is formed integrally with each cutting edge 16a of the fork portion 16. However, an infant fork including a normal fork portion (not shown) without the return portion 16b is used. It is also possible to do so, and in this case, the same effect as that of the first and second embodiments is obtained.

Embodiment 4 FIGS. 10 to 16 are views for explaining a dessert fork and a dessert knife for a baby according to an embodiment of the invention of claims 5 and 6, and FIGS. 10 to 13 are respectively for a baby. Back view, left side view, perspective view from left side view, perspective view from right side view of the desert fork, FIGS. 14 to 16 are right side view, plan view and perspective view from left side of the infant dessert knife, respectively. It is a figure. In this embodiment, a case where a dessert fork is held in the left hand and a dessert knife is held in the right hand and both are used at the same time will be described.

In the figure, 20 is a dessert fork for infants, in which the fork portion 21 is integrally molded with the above-mentioned synthetic resin having a suitable hardness (for example, U polymer manufactured by Unitika Ltd.), and the grip portion 22 is formed into a proper shape. It is constituted by integrally molding the elastic elastic material (for example, Perprene manufactured by Toyobo Co., Ltd.) and then joining them by melt adhesion. However, the fork portion 21 and the grip portion 22 can be integrally formed of the synthetic resin or the elastic material as in the first embodiment.

A first guide recess 23 for guiding the grip position when the thumb of the left hand comes into contact is provided on the right side surface of the grip portion 22, and the middle finger, the ring finger, and the little finger come into contact with the left side surface thereof. Second to fourth guide recesses 24 to guide the grip position when
26 is recessed. The second to fourth guide recesses 24 to
The shape of 26 is set so that the middle finger, the ring finger, and the little finger come into contact with each other from the center to the base, and each fingertip portion wraps around and comes into contact with the bottom surface of the grip portion 22. The upper surface 22a of the grip portion 22 is formed in an arc shape so that the palm comes into contact with it.

On the back surface of the base portion 21a of the fork portion 21, there is provided an approximately elliptical pressing recess 27, and the pressing recess 27 presses the tip of the fork by pressing it with the tip of the forefinger. There is.

Reference numeral 30 denotes a dessert knife for infants, which is similar to the dessert fork 20 in that the knife portion 31 is integrally molded with a synthetic resin having an appropriate hardness and the grip portion 32 is made of an elastic material having an appropriate elasticity. It is constructed by a method of integrally molding the body material and then joining the two.
The fact that the entire dessert knife 30 can be integrally formed of synthetic resin or an elastic material is that the dessert fork 20 described above is used.
Is the same as

A first guide recess 33 for guiding the gripping position when the thumb of the right hand comes into contact is provided on the left side surface of the grip portion 32, and the middle finger, the ring finger, and the little finger come into contact with the right side surface thereof. Second to fourth guide recesses 34 for guiding the grip position when
36 is recessed. The second to fourth guide recesses 34 to
The shape of the middle finger, the third finger, and the little finger of the middle finger, the third finger, and the base of the finger 36 is set so that each fingertip portion wraps around and contacts the bottom surface of the grip portion 32. It is similar to the desert fork 20.

An elliptical pressing recess 37 is provided on the rear surface of the base 31a of the knife portion 31, and the pressing recess 37 is formed.
The blade tip is pressed by pressing with the tip of the index finger.

In this embodiment, the dessert fork 2 is held with the left hand.
The gripping portion 22 of 0 is gripped with the right hand of the gripping portion 32 of the dessert knife 30 from above the gripping portions 22 and 32, for example, by gripping a knife. Then, the thumb is brought into contact with the first guide recess 33 of the dessert knife 30, and the middle finger, the ring finger, and the little finger are brought into contact with the second to fourth guide recesses 34 to 36, respectively, so that the palm is brought into contact with the upper surface 32a of the grip portion 32. You will come into contact with them. In this state, the fingertip of the index finger is brought into contact with the pressing recess 37. In the dessert fork 20, the fingers are brought into contact with the predetermined guide recesses 23 to 26 and the pressing recess 27 by the same procedure.

In this way, while holding the food with the dessert fork 20, the dessert knife 30 separates the food. In this case, even if the food is difficult to cut, the blade edge of the dessert knife 30 and the blade edge of the dessert fork 20 can be strongly pressed with the index finger, so that even an infant or an elderly person can easily separate the food without requiring special labor.

Further, in this embodiment, each of the guide recesses 23 is
You can naturally learn the correct way of holding just by following hands to ~ 26 and 33-36. Therefore, by eating in this state, the usage can be learned at the same time, and the same effect as that of the above-described first embodiment can be obtained.

In the above embodiment, the dessert fork 20 and the dessert knife 30 for infants have been described as an example, but the present invention can be applied to Western food forks and knives used by adults. It can also be made of metal. In this case as well, the meat can be pressed or separated without any special effort.

[0047]

As described above, according to the tableware of the first aspect of the present invention, at least the gripping portion is made of an elastic material having a predetermined thickness, and the gripping position of each finger when gripping the gripping portion. Since the guide recesses for guiding the are formed, it is possible to naturally learn the correct way to hold by simply touching the finger along the shape of each guide recess and at the same time to learn how to use it. Moreover, there is an effect that the safety against injury etc. can be secured.

In the tableware according to the second aspect of the present invention, since the guide concave portion where the forefinger and the base portion of the thumb come into contact with each other is formed on the bottom surface of the rear portion of the grip portion, even an infant having a weak gripping force can firmly hold the tableware. A sense of stability can be obtained.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the mouth portion of the meal spoon for infants is bulged, it is possible to avoid spilling when carrying food to the mouth.

According to the invention of claim 4, since the hook-like return is formed at the tip of the flexible fork for infants, there is an effect that it is possible to eliminate spillage when food is stabbed.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, since the depression recess for pressing with the index finger is formed on the rear surface of the base of the western food or infant dessert fork, there is an effect that the labor for pressing the food with the fork can be reduced.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, since the pressing recess depressed by the index finger is formed on the rear surface of the base of the western food or infant dessert knife, there is an effect that the labor for separating food can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a left side view for explaining a flexible spoon for infants according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the example spoon.

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the example spoon.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the example spoon.

FIG. 5 is a plan view illustrating an infant meal spoon according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a left side view of the example spoon.

FIG. 7 is a plan view illustrating a flexible fork for a baby according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a left side view of the fork of the embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a rear view of the fork of the embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a rear view for explaining the infant dessert fork according to the embodiment of the invention of claim 5;

FIG. 11 is a left side view of the fork of the embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the fork of the embodiment as viewed from the left side.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the fork of the embodiment as viewed from the right side.

FIG. 14 is a right side view for explaining the infant dessert knife according to the embodiment of the invention of claim 6;

FIG. 15 is a plan view of the example knife.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view seen from the left side of the embodiment knife.

[Explanation of symbols]

1,10 Infant spoon (tableware) 11a Bulging section 15,20 Infant fork (tableware) 16b Return section 30 Infant knife (tableware) 3,12,17,22,32 Gripping section 4-7 Guide recess 23- 26, 33-36 Guide recess 27, 37 Press recess

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A tableware adapted to be held by hand, comprising:
Tableware characterized in that at least the grip portion is made of an elastic material having a predetermined thickness, and the grip portion is formed with a guide recess for guiding the gripping position of each finger when gripping the grip portion. 2. The tableware according to claim 1, wherein the tableware is a spoon or a fork for infants, and a guide recess for contacting the forefinger and the base of the thumb is formed at the rear part of the bottom surface of the grip portion. 3. The tableware according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the tableware is a spoon for infants, and a portion of the spoon corresponding to the mouth is bulged. 4. The tableware according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the tableware is a baby fork, and a hook-like return is formed at a tip of the fork. 5. The tableware according to claim 1, wherein the tableware is a Western food or infant fork, and a pressing recess is formed on the rear surface of the base of the fork for pressing the tip of the fork with an index finger. . 6. The tableware according to claim 1, wherein the tableware is a western food or infant knife, and a pressing recess for pressing the tip of the knife with an index finger is formed on the rear surface of the base of the knife. .