US3807781A

US3807781A - Chopstick assembly

Info

Publication number: US3807781A
Application number: US00302647A
Authority: US
Inventors: E Rollband
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1972-11-01
Filing date: 1972-11-01
Publication date: 1974-04-30
Anticipated expiration: 1991-04-30
Also published as: GB1365842A; HK15776A

Abstract

A chopstick assembly is described in which a support plate is firmly attached to one of the stick members, the other being pivotally supported in said plate.

Description

United States Patent Rollband 1 Apr. 30, 1974 [5 CHOPSTICK ASSEMBLY 3,259,415 7/1966 Howard 294/16 3,414,310 12 1968 On 4 1 294 [76] lmemori Emes Muband, Green ACeS 3,637 248 111972 Ari; 294111 5 Mobil Home Park, 3415 Slaterville 3,211I48s 10/1965 Duranel 294/16 Rd., R.D, No. 1, Brooktondale, N.Y. 148 l 7 Primary Examiner.1ames B. Marbert [22] Flled' 1972 Assistant Examiner.10hnny D. Cherry [21] Appl. No.: 302,647 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Frederick E. Bartholy [52] US. Cl. 294/16, 294/104 [51] Int. Cl. A47g 21/10 57 B A [58] Field of Search 294/16, 28, 33, 99 R, 99 SA,

294/104, 137, 81/43 A chopstick assembly is described in which a support plate is firmly attached to one of the stick members, References Clted the other being pivotally supported in said plate.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Kauh et a1. 294/16 4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures CHOPSTICK ASSEMBLY This invention relates to the ancient eating implement, generally known as chopsticks.

It is of course well known that in the Orient, chopsticks comprising two separate sticks of bamboo, independent of each other, are skillfully used for picking up food particles and transferring them to the mouth of the user. For the Occidental, the use of such sticks represents an unconquerable drawback inasmuch as his fingers have not been trained to handle them properly. As a matter of fact, for the proficient use of conventional chopsticks, such training must begin in childhood.

It has been said that the advantages of chopsticks over the conventional fork and spoon of the Occidental world are manifold. One reason for this is of course that the material of which the chopsticks are made is neutral to the acids which may be found in the culinary products of the Orient and thus the flavor of the food is not impaired as would be the case with metal utensils.

At the present time, an interest in the use of chopsticks is being experienced in the Occidental part of the world, in view of the rising popularity of Chinese food.

In the hands of the skilled user, it will be observed that one of the chopsticks is firmly held and may be considered stationary as far as the manipulation is concerned, while the other is moved by the fingers toward or away from the stationary one in order to close in on a piece of food to be picked up. This is the conventional use of chopsticks in contradistinction to the pincer-type movement of chopstick assemblies of the prior art.

Referring to the latter, it will be seen that attempts have been made to connect two chopsticks by springs and other clamping means to make it easier for the un-' skilled user. Such instrumentalities, as stated before, result in a pincer-type operation which defeats their conventional use. Reference should be had in this respect to U.S. Pat.v Nos. 2,997,328; 3,186,749; and 3,304,] l I.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a pair of chopsticks so interconnected. as to enable an unskilled user to manipulate them in a conventional manner.

It is a particular feature of the invention that the I chopsticks constructed in accordance therewith may be assembled without requiring tools or fastening devices.

It is a particular advantage of the invention that the chopsticks so constructed may be kept sanitary by easy disassembly for cleaning.

Other objects, features, and advantages will be apparent from the following description of the invention, pointed out in particularity in the appended claims, and taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 shows a pair of chopsticks held by a support plate and ready for use.

FIG. 2 is a partial view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the support plate with cutout and interfitting pivot means.

FIG. 4 shows the placement of the fingers for the proper use of the chopsticks.

Referring to the figures, the side view in FIG. 1 shows chopsticks 10, comprising an upper stick member 11 and lower stick member 12. These members are of a rectangular cross-section at one portionand taper to a circular cross-section toward the end where they close upon each other. The member 12 is slotted at 14 to accommodate a support plate 15 which is firmly imbedded in the body of the stick member 12 simply by frictional contact. Moreover, the plate 15 has an apex 16 which, when placed in the slot 14, assures additional stability.

As seen in the enlarged view of FIG. 3, the upper stick member 11 is pivotally supported in the plate 15. For this purpose, the member 11 is slotted at 18 as seen in FIG. 2. The pivot for the member 11 comprises a stud 20 which extends between the slotted portions and is of an oval shape as seen in the enlarged view of FIG. 3. The support plate 15 has a cutout 21 terminating in a circular bearing 22 in which the stud 20 may easily pivot. By virtue of this construction the

stick members

11 and 12 may be easily assembled and separated if desired.

The assembly is effected by first inserting the stud 20 of the member 11 through the cutout 21 into the bearing 22 and thereafter inserting the support plate 15 into the channel 14 of the member 12. The chopsticks are now in proper position for pivotal movement of the member 11 toward and away from the member 12 effected by the fingers of the user.

In FIG. 4 it is seen that the hand is placed over the support plate 15 in such a manner that the upper stick member is held between the index finger and the middle finger with the thumb resting on the side thereof. The lower stick member is gripped by the thumb and is held stationary against the remaining fingers of the hand. By the movement of the index finger and middle finger the stick member 11 is simply caused to move over the pivot provided in the support plate 15 and thus close in on thelower member 12 for gripping action. This is the natural movement in the use of chopsticks. The upper stick'member 11 and the lower stick member 12 are held in proper spacial relationship by the support plate 15, assuring ease of operation.

While the above description discloses the preferred embodiment, it should be clear that various modifications are possible within the ordinary skill of craftsmen in this art and, accordingly, the scope of the present invention should be determined solely from the following claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A chopstick assembly comprising:

1. an elongated upper movable stick member, said upper member having:

a. a slot extending therethrough near one end thereof and b. a pivot element extending across said slot transversely thereto;

2. an elongated lower stationary stick member; and

3. a support plate secured to said lower member near one end thereof, said support plate having a pivot means therein:

a. shaped to accept said pivot element and b. located at a point sufficiently remote from said lower member so that one or more fingers of a user of the chopstick assembly can be placed between said upper member and said lower member, whereby a user of the chopstick assembly can pivot said upper member with respect to said lower member while holding said lower member stationary.

2. An assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said lower member has a slot and said support plate is of such configuration as to firmly engage said slot for retention therein.

3. An assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein user.

Claims

1. A chopstick assembly comprising: 1. an elongated upper movable stick member, said upper member having: a. a slot extending therethrough near one end thereof and b. a pivot element extending across said slot transversely thereto; 2. an elongated lower stationary stick member; and 3. a support plate secured to said lower member near one end thereof, said support plate having a pivot means therein: a. shaped to accept said pivot element and b. located at a point sufficiently remote from said lower member so that one or more fingers of a user of the chopstick assembly can be placed between said upper member and said lower member, whereby a user of the chopstick assembly can pivot said upper member with respect to said lower member while holding said lower member stationary.

2. an elongated lower stationary stick member; and

3. a support plate secured to said lower member near one end thereof, said support plate having a pivot means therein: a. shaped to accept said pivot element and b. located at a point sufficiently remote from said lower member so that one or more fingers of a user of the chopstick assembly can be placed between said upper member and said lower member, whereby a user of the chopstick assembly can pivot said upper member with respect to said lower member while holding said lower member stationary.

3. An assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said pivot means in said support plate comprises a semi-circular cutout having a longitudinal extension and said pivot element comprises an oval stud shaped to fit slideably in said extension for easy pivotal assembly of said upper stick member in said support plate.

4. An assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said support plate is of wedge-shaped configuration, tapered toward the terminal end of said sticks and having a curved edge for the accommodation of a finger of the user.