US20080185853A1

US20080185853A1 - Dual-segment chopstick

Info

Publication number: US20080185853A1
Application number: US11/702,137
Authority: US
Inventors: Chin-Tsun Shen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-02-05
Filing date: 2007-02-05
Publication date: 2008-08-07

Abstract

A dual-segment chopstick that comprises an upper segment, a lower segment and a joint assembly wherein the lower segment includes one closed end and the upper segment has a lid deposited at one end, in which the lid further comprises a plurality of clamping members for clamping the lower segment, and the joint is fixedly fasten to the lower segment at one end and comprises a projecting fastening set for fastening the upper segment. Thereby, the chopstick can be assembled by combining the lower segment with the upper segment at the end distant from the lid by means of the fastening set, while it is also possible to reduce the physical dimension of the chopstick by inserting the closed end of the lower segment into the upper segment from the end distant from the lid to be engaged with the clamping members.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a dual-segment chopstick and, more particularly, to a dual-segment chopstick that implements a joint assembly whereby the chopstick can be easily assembled for use and disassembled in order to facilitate storage.
2. Description of Related Art
A conventional dual-segment chopstick is shown in FIG. 4, which comprises an upper segment 9 that is provided for grasp by a user's hand and having a threaded protrusion 91 for being coupled with a corresponding threaded hole 81 provided on a lower segment 8. Such conventional dual-segment chopstick allows users to use the chopstick after assembling it, while it can also be disassembled after use in order to facilitate storage. However, a chopstick with such joint means require significant energy and time from users in order to properly assemble the segments 8, 9 together, and it still takes up a relatively substantial amount of space after being disassembled, whereupon it is inconvenient to store such conventional chopstick.
There is another conventional type of dual-segment chopstick, as shown in FIG. 5, which is composed of an upper tube 7 and a lower tube 6, wherein the upper tube 7 has a retaining portion 71 and the lower tube 6 has a corresponding retaining portion 61. Further, the lower tube 6 is settled inside the upper tube 7 in the manner that the lower tube 6 is slidable inside and along the upper tube 7. Thereby, when the retaining portions 61, 71 are engaged mutually, the chopstick gets properly assembled for serving a user and, alternatively, when the lower tube 6 is retracted into the upper tube 7, the chopstick is favorable for storage. However, though such chopstick may have the advantage of easy storage, the telescoped tubes 6, 7 are not detachable for cleaning and can therefore become a breeding ground for bacteria. Moreover, after a period of use, the retaining portions 61, 71 may be worn away and become incapable of retaining each other.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under these circumstances in view. It is one objective of the present invention to provide a dual-segment chopstick that implements a joint assembly arranged on a lower segment of the chopstick and can be easily coupled to an upper segment of the chopstick. Particularly, the joint assembly provides a function of self-restoration whereby the same can be easily accommodated and retained in the upper segment. Hence, by using the joint assembly that can be engaged with a through hole of the upper segment, the disclosed chopstick achieves the objectives of easy fabrication for use and easy detachment for cleaning.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a dual-segment chopstick that can be easily stored, whose upper segment further comprises a lid that has a plurality of clamping members wherein the lid is sized to fit the upper segment and is pressed onto the inner wall of the upper segment with the clamping members thereof, so that when the lower segment has one end thereof accommodated in the upper segment, it can be clamped by the clamping members and retained in the upper segment. Thereby, the physical dimension of the disclosed chopstick can be effectively lessened.
To achieve these and other objectives of the present invention, the disclosed subject matter comprises a lower segment, including one closed end; an upper segment, having a lid at one end wherein the lid comprises a plurality of clamping members for clamping the lower segment; and a joint assembly that comprises a joint body, which is composed of a first end for being fastened to the lower segment and a second end projecting from the lower segment, wherein the second end further comprises a fastening set for being inserted into and fastened to the end of the upper segment;
Thereby, the chopstick can be assembled by combining the lower segment with the upper segment at the end distant from the lid by means of the fastening set, while it is also possible to lessen the physical dimension of the chopstick by inserting the closed end of the lower segment into the upper segment from the end distant from the lid to be engaged with the clamping members.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention as well as a preferred mode of use, further objectives and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross sectional view of the upper segment and lower segment according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross sectional view of the disclosed subject matter showing the lower segment combined with the upper segment;

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross sectional view of the disclosed subject matter showing the lower segment accommodated in the upper segment and clamped by the claming members according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross sectional view of a conventional dual-segment chopstick implementing a threaded joint means;

FIG. 5 is a schematic cross sectional view of another conventional dual-segment chopstick implementing a pair of retaining portions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Please refer to FIGS. 1 through 3, which describe a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It is to be understood that the embodiment is provided for illustration and should not be regarded as limitation of the structure of the present invention.
The present embodiment discloses a dual-segment chopstick that primarily implements a joint assembly 3 to combine an upper segment 1 for being grasped with a lower segment 2 for contacting food. By means of the joint assembly 3, the lower segment 2 and upper segment 1 can be easily assembled and detached. Further, the lower segment 2 can be clamped by a lid 4 deposited at one end of the upper segment 1 and therefore retained in the upper segment 1.
According to the present embodiment, the upper segment 1 is roughly formed as a square tube, which has a plurality of raised portions 11 at one end thereof for retaining a lid 4 and comprises a through hole 12 provided at the other end for engaging the lower segment 2. The lid 4 is positioned with respect to the end of the upper segment 1 and retained from slipping into the upper segment 1 by a plurality of retaining portion 41 provided thereon. Also, the lid 4 comprises a projecting button 42 that is provided for being held whereby the lid 4 can be detached from the upper segment 1. Further, the lid 4 comprises a plurality of retaining grooves 43 for engaging the raised portions 11 of the upper segment 1 respectively. Moreover, a plurality of C-shaped clamping members 44 is extended from the lid 4.
The lower segment 2 is roughly formed as a square tube, which has a closed end and has the joint assembly 3 arranged at the other end. The joint assembly 3 comprises a joint body 31, which is composed of a first end 311 for being fixedly fastened to the lower segment 2 and a second end 312 projecting from the lower segment 2, wherein the second end 312 further comprises a fastening set 32 for being inserted into and fastened to the end of the upper segment 1. The fastening set 32 further includes an elastic component 321, a resisting component 322 and an accommodating tube 323 for accommodating the elastic component 321 and the resisting component 322. The accommodating tube 323 can be mounted onto the second end 312 of the joint body 31, and the resisting component 322 can be protruded from a through hole 323A of the accommodating tube 323 by the elastic component 321, wherein the through hole 323A is diametrically smaller than the resisting component 322 so that the resisting component 322 can partially pass through the through hole 323A and be further engaged with the through hole 12 of the upper segment 1. According to the present embodiment, the elastic component 321 may be made of rubber while the resisting component 322 may be a steel ball.
Thereby, when the disclosed chopstick is to be used, the joint assembly 3 can be attached to the upper segment 1 at the end distant from the lid 4 and the resisting component 322 can therefore be engaged with the through hole 12 of the upper segment 1, whereby the upper segment 1 and lower segment 2 are assembled to a chopstick.
According to the previously discussed structure of the present invention, when the chopstick is to be stored after use, as shown in FIG. 2, the lower segment 2 is firstly drawn out from the upper segment 1 and put back into the upper segment 1 reversely with the closed end ahead so that the clamping members 44 can clamp the closed end of the lower segment 2 and the chopstick is therefore effectively lessened in physical dimension.
Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that numerous variations will be possible to the disclosed embodiments without going outside the scope of the invention as disclosed in the claims.

Claims

1. A dual-segment chopstick, which comprises:

a lower segment including one closed end;

an upper segment having a lid at one end, wherein the lid comprises a plurality of clamping members for clamping the lower segment; and

a joint assembly that comprises a joint body, which is composed of a first end for being fastened to the lower segment and a second end projecting from the lower segment, wherein the second end further comprises a fastening set for being inserted into and fastened to an end of the upper segment;

thereby, the chopstick can be assembled by combining the lower segment with an end of the upper segment distant from the lid by means of the fastening set, so that the fastening set is fastened in the upper segment, thereby forming a useable chopstick; while it is also possible to lessen the physical dimension of the chopstick by inserting the closed end of the lower segment into the end of the upper segment distant from the lid to be engaged with the clamping members, so as to allow storage of the chopstick.

2. The dual-segment chopstick of claim 1, wherein the lid is settled at the upper segment and retained at the upper segment by a plurality of retaining portions provided thereon, wherein the lid comprises a projecting button, which is provided for being held whereby the lid can be detached from the upper segment, the lid also has a plurality of retaining grooves for engaging the raised portions of the upper segment respectively, and the plural clamping members press upon the inner wall of the upper segment for clamping the lower segment.

3. The dual-segment chopstick of claim 2, wherein the clamping members are roughly formed in a C shape.

4. The dual-segment chopstick of claim 1, wherein the fastening set further includes an elastic component, a resisting component and an accommodating tube for accommodating the elastic component and the resisting component, wherein the accommodating tube is sized to fit the second end of the joint body, and the resisting component can be pushed out of a through hole of the accommodating tube by the elastic component for being engaged with a through hole of the upper segment, so that the upper segment and lower segment can be coupled.

5. The dual-segment chopstick of claim 4, wherein the elastic component is made of rubber.

6. The dual-segment chopstick of claim 4, wherein the resisting component is a steel ball.