US20200337481A1

US20200337481A1 - Container with recession and/or opening for supporting an object

Info

Publication number: US20200337481A1
Application number: US16/394,467
Authority: US
Inventors: Seana L. Montgomery
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2019-04-25
Filing date: 2019-04-25
Publication date: 2020-10-29

Abstract

One example of a container comprises a wall defining a well and a rim, which is located at an extreme edge of the wall. The well is configured to receive, e.g., foodstuffs. The container may or may not comprise a lip. In examples that include a lip, the rim is located at an extreme edge of the lip. In examples that do not include a lip, the rim is located at an extreme edge of the well. The wall comprises a recession into a thickness of the wall. The recession is configured to support a head and a handle of an object. The recession may be located in the lip or in the rim. The recession permits stowing the object on the lip or the rim. The recession may be replaced and/or supplemented by an opening to support the head of the object and the handle of the object.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates in general to the field of container and, more particularly, to containers including recessions and openings for securing objects therein.

BACKGROUND

Containers are used to contain various content. For example, dishes (e.g., plates, bowls, mugs, teacups, and the like) are used to contain foodstuffs. Foodstuffs comprising, e.g., solids, liquids, soups, salads, beverages, and the like are placed into a dish for preparation and/or consumption. Dishes are often used in conjunction with utensils, e.g., to aide in preparation or consumption of the foodstuffs. When the utensils are not in active use, they may be placed inside the dish or on a surface near the dish.

SUMMARY

According to one aspect of the present disclosure a container comprises a wall defining a well and a rim, which is located at an extreme edge of the wall. The well is configured to receive, e.g., foodstuffs. The container may or may not comprise a lip. In examples that include a lip, the rim is located at an extreme edge of the lip. In examples that do not include a lip, the rim is located at an extreme edge of the well. The wall comprises at least one recession into a thickness of the wall. The at least one recession is configured to support a head of an object and a handle of the object. The at least one recession may be located in the lip or in the rim. When the at least one recession is in the lip, the at least one recession extends into a thickness of the wall (e.g., thickness of wall is decreased in area of the recession). In further examples, at least one opening that punctures the thickness of the wall and is configured to support a head of an object and a handle of the object.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure a dish comprises: a well, a lip, and at least one recession in the lip. The well is configured to receive foodstuffs. The lip disposed about the well. The at least one recession is configured to support a head of a utensil and a handle of the utensil.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure a dish comprises: a well, a lip, and at least one opening in the lip. The well is configured to receive foodstuffs. The lip disposed about the well. The at least one opening is configured to support a head of a utensil and a handle of the utensil.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure a dish comprises: a well, a rim, and at least one recession in the rim. The well is configured to receive foodstuffs. The rim is located at an extreme edge of the well. The at least one recession is configured to support a head of a utensil and a handle of the utensil.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure a dish comprises: a well, a rim, and at least one opening in the rim. The well is configured to receive foodstuffs. The rim is located at an extreme edge of the well. The at least one opening is configured to support a head of a utensil and a handle of the utensil.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure a method comprises providing a container comprising a wall defining a well. The method further comprises providing at least one opening in the wall. The at least one opening is to support a head of an object and a handle of the object. In some examples, the least one opening comprises a pair of openings. The method may further comprise supporting the head of the object in one of the pair of openings, and supporting the handle of the object in another of the pair of openings.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure a method comprises providing a container comprising a well and a rim located at an extreme edge of the well. The method further comprises providing at least one opening in the rim. The at least one opening is to support a head of a utensil and a handle of the utensil. In some examples, the least one opening comprises a pair of openings. The method may further comprise supporting the head of the utensil in one of the pair of openings, and supporting the handle of the utensil in another of the pair of openings.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure a method comprises providing a container comprising a well and a lip disposed about the well. The method further comprises providing at least one opening in the lip. The at least one opening is to support a head of a utensil and a handle of the utensil in the at least one opening. In some examples, the least one opening comprises a pair of openings. The method may further comprise supporting the head of the utensil in one of the pair of openings, and supporting the handle of the utensil in another of the pair of openings.
According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure a method comprises providing a container comprising a wall defining a well. The method further comprises providing at least one recession in the wall. The at least one recession is to support a head of an object and a handle of the object in the at least one recession. In some examples, the least one recession comprises a pair of recessions. The method may further comprise supporting the head of the object in one of the pair of recessions, and supporting the handle of the object in another of the pair of recessions.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure a method comprises providing a container comprising a well and a rim located at an extreme edge of the well. The method further comprises providing at least one recession in the rim. The at least one recession is to support a head of a utensil and a handle of the utensil in the at least one recession. In some examples, the least one recession comprises a pair of recessions. The method may further comprise supporting the head of the utensil in one of the pair of recessions, and supporting the handle of the utensil in another of the pair of recessions.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure a method comprises providing a container comprising a well and a lip disposed about the well. The method further comprises providing at least one recession in the lip. The at least one recession is to support a head of a utensil and a handle of the utensil in the at least one recession. In some examples, the least one recession comprises a pair of recessions. The method may further comprise supporting the head of the utensil in one of the pair of recessions, and supporting the handle of the utensil in another of the pair of recessions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To provide a more complete understanding of the present disclosure and features and advantages thereof, reference is made to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures, wherein like reference numerals represent like parts, in which:

FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C illustrate various views of a plate with recessions in a lip for supporting objects, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate various views of a bowl with recessions in a rim for supporting objects, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 illustrates a plate with recessions in a rim for supporting objects, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 illustrates a plate with recessions and openings in a lip for supporting objects, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5A illustrates a plate with recessions in a lip for supporting objects, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5B is a detailed view of a recession in the lip of the plate of FIG. 5A.

FIG. 6 illustrates a bowl with openings in a wall for supporting objects, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 illustrates a bowl with an elongated opening in a wall for supporting objects, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8 illustrates a bowl with recessions a rim and openings in a wall for supporting objects, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 9 illustrates a bowl with recessions and openings in a lip for supporting objects, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 10 illustrates a bowl with recessions in a lip and a rim for supporting objects, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 11 illustrates top views of various dishes, each of which includes one or more recession and/or one or more openings for supporting objects.

FIG. 12 illustrates an example method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

Example Embodiments

Containers are used to contain various content. For example, dishes (e.g., plates, bowls, mugs, teacups, and the like) are used to contain foodstuffs. Foodstuffs comprising, e.g., solids, liquids, soups, salads, beverages, and the like are placed into a dish for preparation and/or consumption. The general shapes of such dishes can vary greatly from one dish to another dish. For example, the shape of a dish (e.g., when viewed from above) may be a circle, an oval, a rectangle, a triangle, a polygon, a regular polygon (convex), or any other shape. In some examples, a three dimensional shape of a dish is a surface of revolution. A surface of revolution is a surface generated by rotating a two-dimensional curve about an axis. An article, “Surface of Revolution” by Eric W. Weisstein (available on MathWorld—A Wolfram Web Resource), discusses such surfaces in more detail. In a dish whose shape is a surface of rotation, the axis (about which the rotation occurs) is a geometric center of the dish and the two-dimensional curve is the cross-section of the dish as taken along a straight line from its geometric center to a perpendicular point on an edge of the dish.
Regardless of their general shape, dishes of the present disclosure contain characteristic features. For example, a dish may comprise a wall defining well and a rim, and a base. A wall is a primary structure of the dish and defines the form of many other features of the dish. The wall is made of a material of sufficient rigidity to retain its shape when filed with foodstuffs. A well is a portion of the wall that defines a cavity in which to contain the foodstuffs. Some wells include recessions for mating with other dishes. For example, such a recession may mate with the base of another of a same type of dish (e.g., to facility easy stacking two plates, one on top of the other) or the base of another type dish (e.g., a saucer plate including a recession for mating with the base of a teacup). A rim is an edge of the wall disposed along a perimeter of the dish. Often, the rim is the highest portion of the dish and is located at the extreme end of the dish. A mouth of the dish is measured between opposing points of the rim (measured along a line passing through the geometric center of the mouth). The wall has both an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surface is located within the interior cavity of the dish. Any foodstuffs contained in the dish contact the inner surface. The outer surface is located at an exterior of the dish. A depth of the dish is measured between an inner bottom surface of the dish and the rim of the dish. The base is a raised portion on the exterior of the wall. A weight of the dish (and any contents in or on the dish) are supported by the base. The base transfers the weight of the dish to a support surface on which the dish rests. Edges of the base generally lie within a single plane to facilitate stably resting the dish on a support surface. The support surface is generally a flat, planar surface. A height of the dish is measured between the base of the dish and the rim of the dish.
A dish may or may not also include a lip. The lip is a portion of wall the located about an edge of the well. The lip spans between the well and the rim. An angle of the lip is measured between the lip and a horizontal plane (e.g., parallel to a plane in which the base lies). The angle of the lip may or may not slope. The angle of the lip is equal to zero when it is not sloped (i.e., the angle of the lip is flat). The angle of the lip may slope toward the well (e.g., the angle of the lip is greater than zero) or away from the well (e.g., the angle of the lip is less than zero). As mentioned above a lip is located at the extreme end of the dish. When a lip is present, the rim is located at the extreme edge of the lip. When a lip is absent, the rim is located at the extreme edge of the well. Each of the portions of the wall (e.g., well, rim, lip) has a thickness measured between the inner surface and the outer surface within the portion. Regardless of whether the lip slopes or the angle of the lip (if sloped), the lip itself may be substantially flat (e.g., constant thickness, smooth, even surface with no undulations, no recessions, and no variations) or may be an uneven surface (e.g., containing undulations, recessions, or variations).
Users sometimes want to rest an object, such as a utensil or tool, on a periphery of a dish (e.g., on the lip or rim, as the case may be). However, utensils placed on the periphery tend to slip into the well of the dish. For example, when the lip is sloped, any utensil placed on the lip tends to slide from the lip and into the well. Even when the lip is flat, utensils placed there are unstable. Consequently, such utensils are susceptible to being accidentally knocked onto table or into well of the dish.
It is noted that some dishes include recessions in the inner bottom surface of the well. Such recessions are for receiving nesting of another dish (e.g., to enable one bowl to nest in another bowl for easy stacking during storage) and are unsuitable for stowing an object on the periphery of the dish. In addition, some dishes include decorative aspects that may include notches in various portions of the dish. However, such decorative aspects are merely decorative and are unsuitable for stowing an object on the periphery of the dish. Moreover, some dishes/pots include contoured edges for pouring liquids from the dishes/pots. Such contoured edges are often centered on opposite sides of the dish/pot to enable easily tilting the dish/pot to dispense liquids therefrom. Consequently, any objects supported on the contoured edges (though they are not designed to support any objects) would lie across a center of the dish/pot, which could block access to contents of the dish/pot.
Accordingly, there is a need for an efficient and effective approach to stabilizing objects on the periphery of a container such as a dish. The embodiments described in the present disclosure address the challenges discussed above (as well as other challenges). The present disclosure describes various embodiments for stabilizing objects on a container using recessions and/or openings in the container that prevent such objects from sliding into a well of the container.
According to one aspect of the present disclosure a container comprises a wall defining a well and a rim, which is located at an extreme edge of the wall. The well is configured to receive, e.g., foodstuffs. The container may or may not comprise a lip. In examples that include a lip, the rim is located at an extreme edge of the lip. In examples that do not include a lip, the rim is located at an extreme edge of the well. The wall comprises at least one recession into a thickness of the wall. The at least one recession is configured to support a head of an object and a handle of the object. Because the at least one recession supports both the head and the handle of the object, the object is prevented from contacting an inner bottom surface in the well of the container. In some examples, the object is supported by only the at least one recession (i.e., the at least one recession supports a full weight of the object). In some examples, the object is an eating utensil such (as a knife, a fork, a spoon, a spork), a serving utensil, a kitchen utensil, a tool, one or more chopsticks, and the like. The at least one recession may be located in the lip or in the rim. When the at least one recession is in the lip, the at least one recession may extend into a thickness of the wall (e.g., the thickness of wall is decreased in area of the recession) or may be an undulation in the shape of the lip (e.g., the thickness of wall is constant in area of the recession). When the at least one recession is in the rim, the rim undulates and, thereby, forms a surface for supporting the object. In further examples, at least one opening, which punctures the thickness of the wall, is configured to support the head of the object and the handle of the object. In some examples, a combination of the at least one recession and the at least one opening support the head of the object and the handle of the object. A shape of the at least one opening and/or the at least one recession may conform to a shape of one or more particular types of utensils or may be a generic shape, such as a rectangle, configured to accommodate a variety of utensils. In some examples, two or more pairs of openings may be stacked vertically (i.e., one of the pair above the other of the pair) in a wall of the container. Embodiments of the present disclosure advantageously enable access to contents of the container while the object is stowed in the recessions or openings due, at least in part, to the recessions or openings orienting the object along a periphery of the container (and not across a center of the dish, which could block access to contents of the well of the container).
Example embodiments that may be used to implement the features and functionality of this disclosure will now be described with more particular reference to the attached FIGURES.
Turning to FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C, FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C illustrate various views of a container, which, in this example, is a plate 101, with recessions in a lip for supporting objects. FIG. 1A is a three-dimensional view of the plate 101. FIG. 1B is a section through the plate 101, as generally indicated by the section lines labeled “1B” in FIG. 1A. FIG. 1C is a section through recessions in the plate 101, as generally indicated by the section lines labeled “1C” in FIG. 1A. An overall shape of the plate 101 is a circle (e.g., when viewed from above). The general three-dimensional form of the plate 101 is a surface of revolution (e.g., produced by rotation half of the cross section shown in FIG. 1B about a center 109 of the plate 101). The following description of the plate 101 makes simultaneous to the FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C.
The plate 101 comprises a wall defining a well 108, a lip 106, a rim 107, and a base 118. The wall is continuous throughout and comprises each of the well 108, the lip 106, the rim 107, and the base 118 (i.e., various portions of the wall are separated by dashed lines in FIGS. 1B and 1C). The well 108 at least in part defines a cavity 120 in which to receive foodstuffs. The lip 106 disposed about the well. The rim 107 is located at an extreme edge of the lip. The base 118 extends from a bottom outer surface of the well 108 and supports the plate on a support surface (e.g., platform, a tray, a table, and the like). A width (w) of the plate 101 is measured between opposing points on the rim 107. A depth (d) of the plate 101 is measured between an inner bottom surface of the plate 101 and the rim 107 of the plate 101. A height (h) of the plate 101 is measured between the base 118 of the plate 101 and the rim 107 of the plate 101. The lip 107 is sloped toward the well 108 at an angle, θ (theta), which is measured relative to a horizontal plane. In some examples, the angle of lip is between 0 and 35 degrees. A slope greater than about 35 degrees greatly increases the likelihood of the utensil dislodging from the recession (e.g., due to gravity acting on the mass of the utensil) and sliding into the well. The lip 107 has a general thickness (t) measured between an inner surface and an outer surface of the lip. In this example, the well 108 of the plate 101 also has a thickness equal to t.
The lip 106 comprises recessions 110, 112, 114, and 116, each of which is configured to support at least a portion of an object, which in this case includes eating utensils (i.e., a knife 102 and a spoon 104). The knife 102 comprises a head portion 102 a and a handle portion 102 b. The spoon 104 comprises a head portion 104 a and a handle portion 104 b. The recessions 110, 112, 114, and 116 are generally located along a periphery of the well 108 and prevent the utensils from sliding into the well 108.
The recessions 110 and 112 are configured to support the knife 102 and prevent the knife 102 from sliding into the well 108 (e.g., prevent the knife 102 from sliding down into the cavity 120). In particular, the recession 110 supports the head 102 a of the knife 102 and the recession 112 supports the handle 102 b of the knife 102. A shape of each of the recessions 110 and 112 corresponds to one of a type of utensil (i.e., a knife). The shape of the recession 110 is an elongated polygon that corresponds to an elongated shape of a head of a knife. The shape of the recession 112 is an elongated polygon that corresponds to an elongated shape of a handle of a knife.
The recessions 114 and 116 are configured to support the spoon 104 and prevent the spoon 104 from sliding into the well 108. In particular, the recession 114 supports the head 104 a of the spoon 104 and the recession 116 supports the handle 104 b of the spoon 104. The utensils (i.e., the knife 102 and the spoon 104) are oriented along sides of the plate 101 and, thus, access to contents (e.g., foodstuffs) in the cavity 120 of the well 108 is maintained while the utensils are stowed in the recessions 110, 112, 114, and 116. A user is still able to eat foodstuffs from the plate 101 while the utensils are stowed in the recessions because the recessions hold the utensils out of the way of the well 108. A shape of each of the recessions 114 and 116 corresponds to one of a type of utensil (i.e., a spoon). The shape of the recession 114 is an ovular depression (or recessed dome) that corresponds to a curvature of a head of a spoon. The shape of the recession 116 is an elongated polygon that corresponds to an elongated shape of a handle of a spoon.
Each of the recessions 110, 112, 114, and 116 extends into the thickness of the lip 106 and, thus the thickness t of lip 107 is decreased in area of the recessions. For example, a thickness (t₂) measured at a deepest point of the recession 114 is less than the thickness, t₁, of the lip 107. Likewise, a thickness (t₃) measured at a deepest point of the recession 112 is less than the thickness, t, of the lip 107. In some examples, the thicknesses t₂and t₃are less than or equal to 50% of the thickness t (e.g., 0<t₂≤0.5*t₁, and 0<t₃≤0.5*t₁).
Turning to FIGS. 2A and 2B, FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate various views of a container, which, in this example, is a bowl 201 with recessions in a rim for supporting objects. FIG. 2A is a three-dimensional view of the bowl 201. FIG. 2B is a section through the bowl 201, as generally indicated by the section lines labeled “2B” in FIG. 2A. An overall shape of the bowl 201 is a circle (e.g., when viewed from above). The general three-dimensional form of the bowl 201 is a surface of revolution (e.g., produced by rotation half of the cross section shown in FIG. 2B about a center 209 of the bowl 201). The following description of the bowl 201 makes simultaneous to the all of the FIGS. 2A and 2B.
The bowl 201 comprises a wall defining a well 208, a rim 206, and a base 218. The bowl 201 lacks a lip. The well 208 at least in part defines a cavity 220 in which to receive foodstuffs. The wall is continuous throughout and comprises each of the well 208, the rim 206, and the base 218. The rim 206 is located at an extreme edge of the well 208. The base 218 extends from a bottom outer surface of the well 208 and supports the bowl 201 on a support surface (e.g., platform, a tray, a table, and the like). A width (w) of the bowl 201 is measured between opposing points on the rim 206 at an outside face of the bowl 201. A mouth (m) of the bowl 201 is measured between opposing points on the rim 206 at an inside face of the bowl 201. A depth (d) of the bowl 201 is measured between an inner bottom surface of the bowl 201 and the rim 206 of the bowl 201. A height (h) of the bowl 201 is measured between the base 218 of the bowl 201 and the rim 206 of the bowl 201. The well 208 has a general thickness (t) measured between an inner surface and an outer surface of the well.
The rim 206 comprises recessions 210, 212, 214, and 216, each of which is configured to support at least a portion of an object, which in this case includes eating utensils (i.e., a knife 202 and a spoon 204). The knife 202 comprises a head portion 202 a and a handle portion 202 b. The spoon 204 comprises a head portion 204 a and a handle portion 204 b. The recessions 210, 212, 214, and 216 are generally located along a periphery of the well 208 and prevent the utensils from sliding into the well 208.
The recessions 210 and 212 are configured to support the knife 202 and prevent the knife 202 from sliding into the well 208 (e.g., prevent the knife 202 from sliding into the cavity 220). In particular, the recession 210 supports the head 202 a of the knife 202 and the recession 212 supports the handle 202 b of the knife 202. A shape of each of the recessions 210 and 212 corresponds to one of a type of utensil (i.e., a knife). The shape of the recession 210 is a narrow rectangular shape, which corresponds to a thin profile of a head of a knife. The shape of the recession 212 is a rectangular shape, which corresponds to a profile of a handle of a knife. It is noted that the recession 210 is more narrow than the recession 212 since, in many case, the head of a knife (i.e., a blade) is more narrow than the handle of the knife.
The recessions 214 and 216 are configured to support the spoon 204 and prevent the spoon 204 from sliding into the well 108. In particular, the recession 214 supports the head 204 a of the spoon 204 and the recession 216 supports the handle 204 b of the spoon 204. The utensils (i.e., the knife 202 and the spoon 204) are oriented along sides of the bowl 201 and, thus, access to contents (e.g., foodstuffs) in the cavity 220 of the well 108 is maintained while the utensils are stowed in the recessions 210, 212, 214, and 216. A user is still able to eat foodstuffs from the bowl 201 while the utensils are stowed in the recessions because the recessions hold the utensils out of the way of (along the periphery of) the well 208. A shape of each of the recessions 214 and 216 corresponds to one of a type of utensil (i.e., a spoon). The shape of the recession 214 is an arcuate depression that corresponds to a curvature of a head of a spoon. The shape of the recession 216 is an arcuate depression that corresponds to a shape of a handle of a spoon. It is noted that the recession 214 is wider than the recession 216 since, in many cases, the head of a spoon is wider than the handle of the spoon.
Each of the recessions 210, 212, 214, and 216 is an undulation in the rim 206. The recessions are recessed relative to adjacent portions of the rim (i.e., relative to flat portions of the rim 206). Each of the recessions has a recession depth (r). The recession 210 has a recession depth r₁. The recession 214 has a recession depth r₂. In some (non-limiting) examples, the recession depth rd1 is about 1 cm and the recession depth rd2 is about 0.75 cm.
Turning to FIG. 3, FIG. 3 illustrates a container, which, in this example, is a plate 301 with recessions in a rim for supporting objects. In contrast to the plate 101 of FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C, the plate 301 of FIG. 3 lacks a lip. The plate 301 comprises a wall defining a well 308, a rim 306, and a base (not visible in the FIG. 3). The wall is continuous throughout and comprises each of the well 308, the rim 306, and the base. The well 308 at least in part defines a cavity in which to receive foodstuffs. The plate 301 has dimensions (e.g., width, height, depth, mouth, and thickness) that are measured as is described with respect to the bowl 201 of FIGS. 2A and 2B and is not repeated again here only for brevity. A difference between the bowl 201 of FIGS. 2A and 2B and the plate 301 of FIG. 3 is that the plate 301 is more shallow than the bowl 201. For example, the depth of the plate 301 is much less than the depth of the bowl 201. In some examples, the plate 301 has a height-to-width ratio of about 1:5 or greater (e.g., 1:6, 1:7, 1:8, etc.) while the bowl 201 has a height-to-width ratio of about 1:1 (or less than 1:5, e.g., 1:4, 1:3, 1:2, etc.).
The rim 306 of the plate 301 comprises recessions 310, 312, 314, and 316, each of which is configured to support at least a portion of an object, which in this case includes eating utensils (i.e., a knife 302 and a spoon 304). The knife 302 comprises a head portion 302 a and a handle portion 302 b. The spoon 304 comprises a head portion 304 a and a handle portion 304 b. The recessions 310, 312, 314, and 316 are generally located along a periphery of the well 308 and prevent the utensils from sliding into the well 308.
A shape of each of the recessions 310, 312, 314, and 316 is an arcuate depression that is sized to interchangeably support a knife, a fork, and a spoon. A width and depth of each of the recessions 310, 312, 314, and 316 is identical to one another. Each of the recessions 310, 312, 314, and 316 is sized to correspond to a handle of a knife, a fork, and a spoon and can support the head (i.e., in the case of a knife) or a portion of the handle immediately proximate the head (i.e., in the case of a fork or spoon).
In the configuration of FIG. 3, the recessions 310 and 312 support the knife 302 and prevent the knife 302 from sliding into the well 308; the recessions 314 and 316 support the spoon 304 and prevent the spoon 304 from sliding into the well 308. In particular, the recession 310 supports the head 302 a of the knife 302 and the recession 312 supports the handle 302 b of the knife 302; the recession 314 supports a portion of the handle immediately adjacent to the head 304 a of the spoon 304 and the recession 316 supports the handle 304 b of the spoon 304. Because each of the recessions 310, 312, 314, and 316 is sized to interchangeably support various utensils, the knife 302 may be removed from the recessions 310 and 312 and placed into (and securely supported by) the recessions 314 and 316. Likewise, the spoon 304 may be removed from the recessions 314 and 316 and placed into (and securely supported by) the recessions 310 and 312. Moreover, either of the knife 302 and the spoon 304 may be replaced by a fork. For example, the recessions 314 and 316 and the recessions 310 and 312 are configured to support a fork (e.g., similar to the manner in which the spoon 304 is supported).
Turning to FIG. 4, FIG. 4 illustrates a container, which, in this example, is a plate 401 with recessions and openings in a lip for supporting objects. The plate 401 comprises a well 408, a lip 404, a rim 406, and a base (not visible in FIG. 4). The plate 401 of FIG. 4 is similar to the plate 101 of FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C. Thus, the well, the lip, the rim, the base, and the dimensions (e.g., depth, width, height, theta) described with respect to FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C are applicable to the plate 401 of FIG. 4 and are not repeated again here only for brevity. A difference between the plate 401 of FIG. 4 and the plate 101 of FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C is that the lip 404 of the plate 401 is wider than the lip 106 of the plate 101. Another difference is that the lip 106 of the plate 101 includes only recession while the lip 404 of the plate 401 includes both openings and a recession, as is described in further detail below.
With reference to FIG. 4, the lip 404 comprises a pair of openings (i.e., opening 412 and opening 414) and a recession 410. The pair of openings (i.e., openings 412 and 414) support a spoon 403. The spoon comprises a head portion 403 a and a handle portion 403 b. The opening 412 is configured to support the head 403 a of the spoon 403. The opening 414 is configured to support the handle 403 b of the spoon 403. A shape of each of the pair of openings corresponds to one of a type of utensil (i.e., a spoon). The shape of the opening 412 is an oval that corresponds to a shape of a head of a spoon. The shape of the opening 414 is an elongated rectangular that corresponds to an elongated shape of a handle of a spoon. The recession 410 is a single, elongated recession in the lip 404. The recession 410 decreases a thickness of the lip 106 (e.g., similar to that described for the recessions in FIG. 1). The recession 410 is rectangular (when viewed from the top) and is also rectangular in cross-section (i.e., right angles between a surface bottom and sides of the recession 410 and right angles between a top surface of the lip relative and sides of the recession 410). The area of the recession 410 is sized to interchangeably support a knife, a fork, and a spoon.
The recession 410 is rectangular in cross-section; in contrast, the recession 112 (of FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C) is an arc in cross-section (as illustrated in the cross section of FIG. 1C). Recessions having a rectangular cross-section can securely hold an object (e.g., utensils) at higher angle of the lip (e.g., the angle, θ (theta)) than recessions having an arced cross section. For example, a recession with the rectangular cross-section has a sharp edge (e.g., relatively flat side surfaces with right angles at a top surface of the lip) to “catch” the object and prevent it from dislodging from the recession even at angles where the object would slip out of the smooth profile of the arced cross-section. For example, in the plate 101 (of FIGS. 1B, 1B, and 1C), the angle θ may be limited to a range of between 0 and 35, while in the plate 401 (of FIG. 4), the angle θ may be limited to a range of between 0 and 45. Thus, in some examples, the rectangular cross-section enables an increase in the angle θ by 10 degrees (relative to arced cross-section) due, at least in part, to the rectangular cross-section having the sharp edge to prevent the object from dislodging from the recession. Because the cross section is rectangular, the angle of the lip 404 may be sloped an angle of 45 degrees while securely holding a utensil.
In the configuration of FIG. 4, the recession 410 supports a head 402 a of a fork 402 and a handle 402 b of the fork 402. The fork 402 is supported by only the recession 410 (and no other portions of the plate 401). The recession 410 supports full weight of the fork 402 and prevents the fork 402 from sliding into the well 408. Because the recession 410 is configured to interchangeably support various utensils, the fork 402 may be replaced by the spoon 403 in the recession 410 (which can securely support the spoon 403). Similarly, the fork 402 may be replaced by a knife, spork, or other eating utensil in the recession 410.
Turning to FIG. 5A, FIG. 5A illustrates a container, which, in this example, is a plate 401 with recessions in a lip for supporting objects. The plate 501 comprises a well 510, a lip 506, a rim 508, and a base (not visible in FIG. 4). The lip 506 comprises recessions 512, 514, 516, and 518. The plate 501 of FIG. 5A is nearly identical to the plate 101 of FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C. Thus, the well, the lip, the rim, the base, the recessions, and the dimensions (e.g., depth, width, height, theta) described with respect to FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C are applicable to the plate 501 of FIG. 5A and are not repeated again here only for brevity. The recessions 512 and 514 are configured to support a head 502 a and a handle 502 b of a knife 502, respectively. The recessions 516 and 518 are configured to support a head and a handle of a spoon, respectively (e.g., similar to the manner in which the recessions 114 and 116 support the head 104 a and the handle 104 b of a spoon 104 of FIG. 1). The recession 516 is an ovular depression corresponding to a head of a spoon. The recessions 516 and 518, which are configured to support a spoon, are also configured to support a fork 504. The fork 504 comprises a head portion 504 a and a handle portion 504 b. The each 504 a of the fork 504 comprises tines 504 c, 504 d, 504 e, and 504 f. The recession 518 supports the handle 504 b of the fork 504. A difference between the plate 501 of FIG. 5A and the plate 101 of FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C is that the recession 114 in the plate 101 is smooth while the recession 516 in the plate 501 includes further recessions. The further recessions in the recession 516 support the tines of the fork 504.
Turning to FIG. 5B, FIG. 5B is a detailed view of the recession 516 in the lip 506 of the plate 501 of FIG. 5A. The recession 516 is an ovular depression corresponding to a head of a spoon. The recession 516 includes a plurality of depressions (i.e., recessions 520, 522, 524, and 526) each of which is further recessed into the thickness of the lip 516 relative to the recession 516. Each of recessions 520, 522, 524, and 526 corresponds to a single tine, i.e., tine 504 c, 504 d, 504 e, and 504 f, respectively. In particular, with simultaneous reference to FIGS. 5A and 5B: the recession 520 supports the tine 504 c, the recession 522 supports the tine 504 d, the recession 524 supports the tine 504 e, and the recession 526 supports the tine 504 f.
Turning to FIG. 6, FIG. 6 illustrates a container, which, in this example, is a bowl 601 with openings in a wall for supporting objects. An overall shape of the bowl 601 is a circle (e.g., when viewed from above). The general three-dimensional form of the bowl 601 is a surface of revolution. The bowl 601 comprises a wall defining a well 607, a rim 606, and a base (not visible in the FIG. 6). The bowl 601 lacks a lip. The wall is continuous throughout and comprises each of the well 607, the rim 606, and the base. The well 607 at least in part defines a cavity in which to receive foodstuffs. The bowl 601 has dimensions (e.g., width, height, depth, mouth, and thickness) that are measured as is described with respect to the bowl 201 of FIGS. 2A and 2B (which are not repeated here only for brevity). A difference between the bowl 601 of FIG. 6 and the bowl 201 of FIGS. 2A and 2B is that the bowl 601 comprises at least one opening in the wall for supporting objects and the bowl 201 lacks such openings.
The wall, in an area around the well 607, comprises at least one opening (i.e., openings 608, 610, 612, and 614), each of which is configured to support at least a portion of an object, which in this case includes eating utensils (i.e., a knife and a spoon). The knife comprises a head portion 602 a and a handle portion 602 b. The spoon comprises a head portion 604 a and a handle portion 604 b. The openings 608, 610, 612, and 614 are generally located along a periphery of the well 607 and prevent the utensils from sliding into the well 607.
The openings 608 are 610 are organized as a pair and, together, support a full weight of the knife. In particular, the opening 608 supports the head 602 a of the knife; the opening 610 supports the handle 602 b of the knife. A shape of each of the openings 608 are 610 corresponds to one of a type of utensil (i.e., a knife). The shape of the opening 608 is a narrow rectangle, which corresponds to a thin profile of a head of a knife. The shape of the opening 610 is a rectangle, which corresponds to a profile of a handle of a knife. It is noted that the opening 608 is more narrow than the opening 610 since, in many case, the head of a knife (i.e., a blade) is more narrow than the handle of the knife.
Likewise, the openings 612 and 614 are organized as a pair and, together, support a full weight of the spoon. A shape of each of the openings 612 and 614 is ovular and sized to interchangeably support a knife, a fork, and a spoon. Each of the openings 612 and 614 is sized to correspond to a handle of a knife, a fork, and a spoon and can support the head (i.e., in the case of a knife) or a portion of the handle immediately proximate the head (i.e., in the case of a fork or spoon). In particular, the opening 612 supports a portion of the handle 604 b immediately proximate the head 604 a of the spoon; the opening 614 supports the handle 604 b of the spoon. Because each of the openings 612 and 614 can interchangeably support various utensils, the spoon may be removed from the openings 612 and 614 and replaced by the knife. The openings 612 and 614 are configured to securely support the knife (e.g., the opening 612 supports the head 602 a of the knife; the opening 614 supports the handle 602 b of the knife). In addition, the openings 612 and 614 are configured to securely support a fork (e.g., the opening 612 supports the head of the fork; the opening 614 supports the handle of the fork).
Each of the openings 608, 610, 612, and 614 pierces the thickness of the wall around the well 607 and, thereby, allows the utensil to be passed through the openings to reach the resting configuration illustrated in the FIG. 6. For example, to reach the configuration of the knife illustrated in the FIG. 6 a user may: (1) insert the head 602 a of the knife from the outside of the bowl 601 through the opening 610 to the inside of the bowl 601, and then (2) immediately insert the head 602 a of the knife now from the inside of the bowl 601 through the opening 608 to the outside of the bowl 601. Similarly, to reach the configuration of the spoon illustrated in the FIG. 6 a user may: (1) insert the handle 604 b of the spoon from the outside of the bowl 601 through the opening 612 to the inside of the bowl 601, and then (2) immediately insert the handle 604 b of the spoon now from the inside of the bowl 601 through the opening 614 to the outside of the bowl 601. It is noted that the spoon may be inserted in the opposite direction (i.e., so that the opening 614 supports a portion of the handle 604 b immediately proximate the head 604 a of the spoon and the opening 612 supports the handle 604 b of the spoon).
Turning to FIG. 7, FIG. 7 illustrates a container, which, in this example, is a bowl 701 with an elongated opening in a wall for supporting objects. An overall shape of the bowl 701 is a circle (e.g., when viewed from above). The general three-dimensional form of the bowl 701 is a surface of revolution. The bowl 701 comprises a wall defining a well 704, a rim 706, and a base (not visible in the FIG. 7). The bowl 701 lacks a lip. The wall is continuous throughout and comprises each of the well 704, the rim 706, and the base. The well 704 at least in part defines a cavity in which to receive foodstuffs. The bowl 701 has dimensions (e.g., width, height, depth, mouth, and thickness) that are measured as is described with respect to the bowl 201 of FIGS. 2A and 2B (which are not repeated here only for brevity). A difference between the bowl 701 of FIG. 7 and the bowl 201 of FIGS. 2A and 2B is that the bowl 701 comprises at least one opening in the wall for supporting objects and the bowl 201 lacks such openings.
The wall, in an area around the well 704, comprises at least one opening (i.e., opening 708), which is configured to support an object, which in this case includes an eating utensil (i.e., a knife). The knife comprises a head portion 702 a and a handle portion 702 b. The opening 708 supports both the head 702 a and the handle 702 b of the knife. The opening 708 is generally located along a periphery of the well 704 and prevents the utensil from sliding into the well 708.
The opening 708 pierces the thickness of the wall around the well 704 and, thereby, allows the utensil to be inserted through the opening to reach the resting configuration illustrated in the FIG. 7. A shape of the opening 708 is an elongated oval and is configured to interchangeably support a knife, a fork, and a spoon. Consequently, the knife may be removed from the opening 708 and replaced by a spoon, a fork, a spork, or other utensil. For example, the opening 708 is configured to securely support a spoon (e.g., the opening 708 supports a head and a handle of the spoon). In addition, the opening 708 is configured to securely support a fork (e.g., the opening 708 supports a head and a handle of the fork). Further, the opening 708 is configured to securely support a spork (e.g., the opening 708 supports a head and a handle of the spork).
Turning to FIG. 8, FIG. 8 illustrates a container, which, in this example, is a bowl 801 with recessions a rim and openings in a wall for supporting objects. An overall shape of the bowl 801 is a circle (e.g., when viewed from above). The general three-dimensional form of the bowl 801 is a surface of revolution. The bowl 801 comprises a wall defining a well 808, a rim 806, and a base (not visible in the FIG. 8). The bowl 801 lacks a lip. The wall is continuous throughout and comprises each of the well 808, the rim 806, and the base. The well 808 at least in part defines a cavity in which to receive foodstuffs. The bowl 801 has dimensions (e.g., width, height, depth, mouth, and thickness) that are measured as is described with respect to the bowl 201 of FIGS. 2A and 2B (which are not repeated here only for brevity). A difference between the bowl 801 of FIG. 8 and the bowl 201 of FIGS. 2A and 2B is that the bowl 701 comprises at least one opening in the wall for supporting objects and the bowl 201 lacks such openings.
The rim 806 comprises recessions 810 and 812, each of which is configured to support at least a portion of an object, which in this case includes an eating utensil (i.e., a knife). The knife comprises a head portion 802 a and a handle portion 802 b. The recession 810 supports the head 802 a of the knife and the recession 812 supports the handle 802 b of the knife. The recessions 810 and 812 are similar to the recessions 210 and 212 as described with respect to FIGS. 2A and 2B; the description is not repeated here only for brevity.
The wall, in an area around the well 808, comprises at least one opening (i.e., openings 814 and 816), each of which is configured to support at least a portion of an object, which in this case include an eating utensils (i.e., a fork). The fork comprises a head portion 804 a and a handle portion 804 b. The opening 816 supports a portion of the handle 804 b immediately proximate the head 804 a of the fork; the opening 614 supports the handle 804 b of the fork. The openings 814 and 816 are similar to the openings 612 and 614 as described with respect to FIG. 6; the description is not repeated here only for brevity. The recessions 810 and 812 and the openings 814 and 816 are generally located along a periphery of the well 808 and prevent the utensils from sliding into the well 808.
The recessions and the openings of the bowl 810 are vertically stacked. Each of the recessions 810 and 812 are recessed from the rim 806 by a first distance e.g., measured from the rim 806 to the bottom of the recessions (i.e., both are recessed by the same distance). Each of the openings 814 and 816 is located below rim 806 rim by a second distance, e.g., measured from the rim 806 to the top of the openings (i.e., both are recessed by the same distance). The second distance is greater than the first distance. Thus, the recessions 810 and 812 are located above the openings 814 and 816 by a distance, v (e.g., v is equal to the difference between the second distance and the first distance).
The various embodiments of the present disclosure can be combined in numerous ways. As an illustration, in a particular embodiment, the recessions 810 and 812 are replaced by a second pair of openings (i.e., where the openings 814 and 816 are a first pair of openings). In such an embodiment, each of the two pairs of openings are vertically stacked along the wall of the bowl. The second pair of openings may be located above or below the first pair of openings. In another embodiment, the openings 814 and 816 are replaced by a single opening (e.g., similar to opening 708 of FIG. 7).
Turning to FIG. 9, FIG. 9 illustrates a container, which, in this example, is a bowl 901 with recessions and openings in a lip for supporting objects. An overall shape of the bowl 901 is a square (e.g., when viewed from above). The bowl 901 comprises a wall defining a well 912, a lip 908, a rim 910, and a base (not visible in the FIG. 9). The plate 901 of FIG. 9 is similar to the plate 101 of FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C. Thus, the well, the lip, the rim, the base, the recessions, and the dimensions (e.g., depth, width, height, theta) described with respect to FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C are applicable to the plate 901 and are not repeated again here only for brevity. A difference between the plate 901 and the plate 101 is that the plate 901 is generally rectangular in shape while the plate 101 is generally circular in shape.
With reference to FIG. 9, the lip 908 comprises recessions 916, 920, and 922 and openings 814 and 918. The recession 920 is a single rectangular recession and is configured to support a knife. The knife comprises a head portion 904 a and a handle portion 904 b. The recession 920 supports both the head 904 a and the handle 904 b of the knife.
The recession 916 and the opening 914 form a pair, which supports a fork. The fork comprises a head portion 902 a and a handle portion 902 b. A shape of each of the pair corresponds to one of a type of utensil (i.e., a fork). The shape of the recession 916 is a rectangle that corresponds to a shape of the handle 902 a of the fork. The recession 916 supports the handle 902 b of the fork. The shape of the opening 914 is a rectangle that corresponds to a shape of the head 902 a of the fork. The opening 914 supports the head 902 a of the fork.
The recession 922 and the opening 918 form a pair, which supports a spoon. The spoon comprises a head portion 906 a and a handle portion 906 b. A shape of each of the pair corresponds to one of a type of utensil (i.e., a spoon). The shape of the recession 922 is a rectangle that corresponds to a shape of the handle 906 b of the spoon. The recession 922 supports the handle 906 b of the spoon. The shape of the opening 918 is an oval that corresponds to a shape of the head 906 a of a spoon. The opening 918 supports the head 906 a of the spoon.
FIG. 10 illustrates a container, which, in this example, is a bowl 1001 with recessions in a lip and a rim for supporting objects. The bowl 1001 comprises a wall defining a well 1004, a lip 1006, and a rim 1008. The lip 1006 comprises a recession 1010 for supporting a utensil (i.e., a knife 1002). The plate 1001 of FIG. 10 is similar to the 901 of FIG. 9; the details are not repeated here only for brevity. A difference between the plate 1001 and the plate 901 is that the plate 901 includes several recession and openings while the plate 1001 includes only a single recession the lip. Moreover, the recessions in the plate 901 are recessions that decrease in a thickness of the lip; in contrast, the recession 1010 in the plate 1001 forms an undulation in the overall lip 1006 and the thickness of the lip remains constant throughout the undulating and flat portions of the lip. The recession 1010 is a portion of the lip 1006 that is depressed relative to adjacent sections of the lip.
FIG. 11 illustrates top views of various dishes (i.e., plates 1102, 1128, 1136, 1148, 1158, and 1170 and bowls 1108 and 1116), each of which includes one or more recession and/or one or more opening for supporting objects. Each of the dishes is illustrated from above. Embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented on any container or dish, regardless of its shape. For example, a shape (e.g., when viewed from above, as is the case in FIG. 11) of a dish according to the present disclosure may be a surface of revolution, a circle, an oval, a lemon, a triangle, a rectangle, or a regular polygon, a polygon, a regular polygon (convex), an n-sided shape (where n is greater than 0), or any other shape.
The plate 1102 comprises a wall defining a well, a lip 1104, and a rim. The lip 1104 comprises a recession 1106. The recession 1106 is a single rectangular recession and is configured to support a head of an object and a handle of the object (i.e., only the recession 1106 supports the full weight of the object). The recession 1106 prevents the object from sliding into well of the dish. A shape of the plate 1102 is a circle (i.e., a 1-sided shape).
The bowl 1108 comprises a wall defining a well and a rim 1110. The bowl 1108 lacks a lip. A shape of the bowl 1108 is a circle (i.e., a 1-sided shape). The recessions 1112 and 1114 are recessed into the rim 1110. The recessions 1112 and 1114 form a pair, which is configured to support a head of an object and a handle of the object. For example, the recession 1112 can support the head of the object (or a portion of the handle immediately adjacent to the head) while the recession 1114 supports the handle of the object. Conversely, the recession 1112 can support the handle of the object while the recession 1114 supports the head of the object (or a portion of the handle immediately adjacent to the head).
The bowl 1116 comprises a wall defining a well a rim 1118. The bowl 1116 lacks a lip. A shape of the bowl 1116 is an oval (i.e., a 1-sided shape). The recessions 1120, 1122, 1124, and 1126 are recessed into the rim 1118. The recessions 1120 and 1122 form a pair, which is configured to support a head of an object and a handle of the object. For example, the recession 1120 can support the head of the object (or a portion of the handle immediately adjacent to the head) while the recession 1122 supports the handle of the object (or vice versa). The recessions 1124 and 1126 form a second pair, which is configured to support a head of a second object and a handle of the second object. For example, the recession 1124 can support the head of the second object (or a portion of the handle immediately adjacent to the head) while the recession 1126 supports the handle of the second object (or vice versa).
The plate 1128 comprises a wall defining a well, a lip 1130, and a rim. The lip 1130 comprises recessions 1132 and 1134. Each of the recessions 1132 and 1134 is a rectangular recession and each is configured to support a head of an object and a handle of the object. A shape of the plate 1128 is a lemon (i.e., a 2-sided shape).
The plate 1136 comprises a wall defining a well, a lip 1138, and a rim. The lip 1138 comprises recessions 1142, 1144, and 1146 and opening 1140. Each of the recessions 1144 and 1146 is a rectangular recession and each is configured to support a head of an object and a handle of the object. The recession 1142 and the opening 1140 form a pair, which is configured to support a spoon. The spoon comprises a head and a handle. A shape of each of the pair corresponds to one of a type of utensil (i.e., a spoon). The shape of the recession 1142 is a rectangle that corresponds to a shape of the handle of the spoon. The recession 1142 supports the handle of the spoon. The shape of the opening 1140 is an oval that corresponds to a shape of the head of a spoon. A shape of the plate 1136 is a square (i.e., a 4-sided shape).
The plate 1148 comprises a wall defining a well, a lip 1150, and a rim. The lip 1150 comprises recession 1156 and openings 1152 and 1154. The recessions 1156 is a rectangular recession and is configured to support a head of an object and a handle of the object. The openings 1152 and 1154 form a pair, which is configured to support a spoon. The spoon comprises a head and a handle. A shape of each of the pair corresponds to one of a type of utensil (i.e., a spoon). The shape of the recession 1152 is a rectangle that corresponds to a shape of the handle of the spoon. The recession 1154 supports the handle of the spoon. The shape of the opening 1152 is an oval that corresponds to a shape of the head of a spoon. A shape of the plate 1148 is a rectangle (i.e., a 4-sided shape).
The plate 1158 comprises a wall defining a well, a lip 1160, and a rim. The lip 1160 comprises recessions 1162, 1164, and 1168, and opening 1166. Each of the recessions 1162, 1164, and 1168 is a rectangular recession and each is configured to support a head of an object and a handle of the object. The opening 1166 is configured to support a smaller dish (e.g., a sauce container). A shape of the plate 1158 is a triangle (i.e., a 3-sided shape).
The plate 1170 comprises a wall defining a well, a lip 1172, and a rim. The lip 1172 comprises recessions 1174, 1176, 1178, and 1180. Each of the recessions 1174, 1176, 1178, and 1180 is a rectangular recession and each is configured to support a head of an object and a handle of the object. A shape of the plate 1170 is a pentagon (i.e., a 5-sided shape).
Turning to FIG. 12, FIG. 12 illustrated a method 1200 for supporting objects on a container, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The method 1200 begins at 1202, which may coincide with a start/end point of other methods. The method 1200 advances from 1202 to 1204, where a container comprising a wall defining a well is provided. Such provisioning of the container may comprise manufacturing, assembling, pressing, casting, and/or otherwise generating the container. In some examples, the container is received (e.g., from another entity). At 1206, an opening and/or a recession is provided in the wall. Such provisioning of the opening and/or the recession may include punching, drilling, milling, removing material, or otherwise creating a void in the wall of the container. In some embodiments, 1204 and 1206 are executed substantially simultaneously, e.g., where the container is formed by a single machine that also creates the opening and/or the recession. The opening and/or the recession is to support a head of an object and a handle of the object. In some examples, the opening and/or the recession comprises a pair of openings and/or a pair of recessions. The method may further comprise supporting the head of the object in one of the pair of openings and/or one of the pair of recession, and supporting the handle of the object in another of the pair of openings and/or another of the pair of recessions. The container may be any of the various containers described in the present disclosure (e.g., 101, 201, 301, 401, 501, 601, 701, 801, 901, 1001, 1102, 1108, 1116, 1128, 1136, 1148, 1158, and/or 1170). The method 1200 may or may not end at 1208, which may coincide with a start/end point of other methods.
It is noted that several embodiments of the present disclosure describe that a shape of a recession corresponds to one of a type of utensil. The shape of the recession may be shaped to generally correspond to the shape of several examples of the type of utensil (e.g., an arced recessed that can accept several different sizes and shapes of spoons). Alternatively, the shape of the recession may be shaped to specifically correspond to the shape of a single example of the type of utensil (e.g., an arced recessed that can match the size and shape of a specific spoon). In the latter case, a set of dishes and eating utensils may be generated such that recession in the dishes in the set precisely matching the eating utensils in the set.
Note that in this Specification, references to various features (e.g., elements, structures, modules, components, steps, operations, characteristics, etc.) included in “one embodiment”, “example embodiment”, “an embodiment”, “another embodiment”, “some embodiments”, “various embodiments”, “other embodiments”, “alternative embodiment”, and the like are intended to mean that any such features are included in one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, but may or may not necessarily be combined in the same embodiments.
In terms of the dimensions of the articles discussed herein (e.g., containers, dishes, recessions, openings, etc.), any suitable specifications (e.g., width, depth, height, mouth, etc.) may be used and can be based on particular end user needs, or specific elements to be addressed by the apparatus (or the system in which it resides). It is imperative to note that all of the specifications and relationships outlined herein (e.g., width, depth, height, mouth, thickness, number of recessions, number of pairs of recessions, number of openings, number of pairs of openings, number of pairs of openings and corresponding recessions, depth of recessions, size and shape of recessions, shape of openings, size of openings, etc.) have only been offered for purposes of example and teaching only. Each of these data may be varied considerably without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure, or the scope of the appended claims. The specifications apply only to non-limiting examples and, accordingly, should be construed as such. Along similar lines, the materials used in constructing the articles can be varied considerably, while remaining within the scope of the present disclosure.
Moreover, the elements described herein may be made of any suitable materials, including metal (e.g., stainless steel, copper, tin, silver, brass, cast iron, enamel covered cast iron, aluminum, nickel, alloy, etc.), plastic, wood (e.g., bamboo, beech wood, etc.), paper, terra cotta, fired clay, ceramic, glass, stone, Styrofoam, rubber, etc. or any suitable combination thereof. Each element may also be made of a combination of different materials (e.g., a dish may be made of ceramic with a brass rim; a utensil may have a wooden handle and a metal head; etc.). Any suitable material or combination of materials may be used for the elements described herein without departing from the broad scope of the present disclosure.
In certain implementations and numerous examples provided herein, recessions and openings are described in reference to a dish and a utensil. The recessions and openings of the present disclosure, however, are not limited to dishes and utensils, but can be applied to a myriad of other types of containers (e.g., cooking pots, paint container, dry food containers, utility buckets, tool boxes, fishing tackle boxes, etc.) and any corresponding utensils (e.g., ladles, work tools (e.g., screwdrivers, hammers, pliers, scissors, etc.), brushes, spoons, measuring instruments, spatulas, stirrers, whisks, and certain containers (e.g., those providing foodstuff such as spices, etc.), basters, forks, etc.). It will be appreciated that the broad teachings disclosed herein are intended to include any type of containers that can be used to store materials, and associated utensils that can be used, for example, to stir, mix, scoop, etc. contents from the respective containers.
In addition, the shapes shown and illustrated in the various FIGURES are for example purposes only. Various other shapes may be used herein without changing the scope of the present disclosure. For example, a container may be shaped as a casserole dish, a pressure cooker pot, a frying pan, a bucket, a paint container, etc. An object may be curved (e.g., soup ladle), straight (e.g., spatula; brush), or provided in other suitable shapes.
It will be appreciated that substantial flexibility is provided by the system in that any suitable arrangements and configurations may be provided without departing from the teachings of the discussed concepts. Although the present disclosure has been described in detail with reference to particular arrangements and configurations, these example configurations and arrangements may be changed significantly without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, some embodiments of the present disclosure are described with reference to a dish and an eating utensil; the teaching of the present disclosure are applicable to other types of containers and objects, such as: a paint can and a brush; a cooking pot and a spatula; a skillet and a cooking utensil; a punch bowl and a ladle; a teacup and a teaspoon; a mug and a spoon; paper coffee cup and a wooden stirrer; and/or a Styrofoam dish and a plastic eating utensil.
While the disclosure references several particular embodiments, those skilled in the art will be able to make various modifications to the described embodiments without departing from the true spirit and scope of the disclosure. It is intended that all elements or steps, which are insubstantially different from those, recited in the claims but perform substantially the same functions, respectively, in substantially the same way to achieve the same result as what is claimed are within the scope of the disclosure.
Additionally, it should be noted that with the examples provided above, interaction may be described in terms of two, three, or four utensils. However, this has been done for purposes of clarity and example only. In certain cases, it may be easier to describe one or more of the functionalities of a given set of flows by only referencing a limited number of utensils. It should be appreciated that the containers described herein are readily scalable and, further, can accommodate a larger number of utensils, as well as more complicated/sophisticated arrangements and configurations of recessions and opening upon which to support the utensils.
Numerous other changes, substitutions, variations, alterations, and modifications may be ascertained to one skilled in the art and it is intended that the present disclosure encompass all such changes, substitutions, variations, alterations, and modifications as falling within the scope of the appended claims. In order to assist the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and, additionally, any readers of any patent issued on this application in interpreting the claims appended hereto, Applicant wishes to note that the Applicant: (a) does not intend any of the appended claims to invoke paragraph six (6) of 35 U.S.C. section 112 as it exists on the date of the filing hereof unless the words “means for” or “step for” are specifically used in the particular claims; and (b) does not intend, by any statement in the specification, to limit this disclosure in any way that is not otherwise reflected in the appended claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A container comprising:

a well configured to receive foodstuffs;

a lip disposed about the well; and

at least one recession in the lip; wherein the at least one recession is configured to support a head of a utensil and a handle of the utensil.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein the least one recession comprises:

one elongated recession in the lip, and wherein the one elongated recession is configured to support the head of the utensil and the handle of the utensil.

3. The container of claim 1, wherein the least one recession comprises:

two recessions in the lip, and wherein:

one of the two recessions is configured to support the head of the utensil, and

another of the two recessions is configured to support the handle of the utensil.

4. The container of claim 1, wherein a shape of the at least one recession is configured to interchangeably support a knife, a fork, and a spoon.

5. The container of claim 1, wherein a shape of the at least one recession corresponds to one of a type of utensil, the one of the type of utensil is selected from the group consisting of: a knife, a fork, and a spoon.

6. The container of claim 1, wherein a shape of the at least one recession comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:

an ovular depression corresponding to a head of a spoon,

a plurality of depressions each of which corresponds to a single tine of a fork, and

a rectangular depression corresponding to an area surrounding a head of the fork.

7. The container of claim 6, wherein:

the plurality of depressions are contained within the ovular depression, and

the plurality of depressions are recessed relative to the ovular depression.

8. The container of claim 1, wherein the lip is inclined at an angle measured relative to a horizontal plane and the angle is:

greater than or equal to zero degrees, and

less than or equal to 30 degrees.

9. The container of claim 1, wherein the at least one recession comprises:

a decrease in a thickness of the lip, or

an undulation in the lip while the thickness of the lip remains constant.

10. The container of claim 1, further comprising at least one opening in the lip, wherein the at least one opening pierces a thickness of the lip and is configured to support a head of a second utensil and a handle of the second utensil.

11. A container comprising:

a well configured to receive foodstuffs;

a rim located at an extreme edge of the well; and

at least one recession in the rim, wherein the at least one recession is configured to support a head of a utensil and a handle of the utensil.

12. The container of claim 11, wherein the least one recession comprises:

13. The container of claim 11, wherein the least one recession comprises:

two recessions in the lip, and wherein:

one of the two recessions is configured to support the head of the utensil, and

14. The container of claim 11, wherein a shape of the at least one recession comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:

an ovular depression corresponding to a head of a spoon,

15. The container of claim 14, wherein:

the plurality of depressions are contained within the ovular depression, and

the plurality of depressions are recessed relative to the ovular depression.

16. The container of claim 11, further comprising at least one opening in the well, wherein the at least one opening is configured to support a head of a second utensil and a handle of the second utensil.

17. The container of claim 11, wherein the least one opening comprises:

one elongated opening in the wall around the well, wherein the one elongated opening is configured to support the head of the second utensil and the handle of the second utensil.

18. The container of claim 17, wherein the least one opening comprises:

a pair of openings in the wall, wherein:

one of the pair of openings is configured to support the head of the second utensil, and

another of the pair of openings is configured to support the handle of the second utensil; and

wherein the pair of openings is located below the at least one recession.

19. A system comprising:

an object comprising a head and a handle; and

a dish comprising:

a wall that defines:

a well configured to receive foodstuffs, and

a rim located an extreme edge of the well; and

at least one opening in the wall around the well, wherein the at least one opening is configured to support the head and the handle of the object.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the least one opening comprises:

a pair of openings in the wall, and wherein:

one of the pair of openings is configured to support the head of the object, and

another of the pair of openings is configured to support the handle of the object.