WO2010074568A1

WO2010074568A1 - System for learning to identify indicia

Info

Publication number: WO2010074568A1
Application number: PCT/NL2009/050790
Authority: WO
Inventors: Paul Edward Arthur Kroeze; Robert Hugo Kroeze
Original assignee: Patentcheck.Nl
Priority date: 2008-12-22
Filing date: 2009-12-22
Publication date: 2010-07-01

Abstract

System for learning to identify indicia comprising a food serving plate and at least one utensil, wherein the food serving plate comprises an approximately centrally positioned mounting element for cooperation with the utensil, and wherein the food serving plate comprises indicia on a peripheral edge for cooperation with an end of the utensil for indicating said indicia.

Description

Title: System for learning to identify indicia

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a system for learning to identify indicia.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Various systems are known for learning, for in particular children, to tell the time or to identify indicia such as pictures. For example is known a wooden disc on which numbers 1 to 12 representing the hours are provided on a peripheral edge of said disc, thus forming a clock face. In the centre of the clock face a pin is provided for coupling of an hour and a minute hand to the clock face. The hands can be moved manually by a parent or child to indicate a particular time. A drawback of this system is that 'time' itself is relatively abstract and difficult to put into context for children. Also is known a food serving plate with pictures of animals thereon depicted positioned within the boundaries of the outline shape of a slice of bread. A drawback of this system is that the pictures are only visible when the plate is empty. Also is known a food serving plate with letters A, B and C on its peripheral edge. A drawback of this system is that if a parent asks a child to point out a letter and a child tries to point at it with a utensil that food which is on the serving plate or utensil might unintentionally smudge areas of the kitchen like floor, wall or ceiling.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides for an improved system for learning to identify indicia in which at least one of the above drawbacks may be obviated. Thereto provides the invention a system for learning to identify indicia comprising a dish and at least one utensil, wherein the dish comprises an approximately centrally positioned mounting element for cooperation with the utensil, wherein said dish comprises indicia on a peripheral edge for cooperation with an end of said utensil for indicating the indicia.

When using 'dish', a food serving plate is meant, such as e.g. a dinner plate, a soup plate or a bowl. A 'utensil' is meant as an item of cutlery.

By providing a dish and a utensil that are adapted for learning to identify indicia, identifying e.g. pictures or telling the time may be learned in a relatively recurring setting. For example during the daytime with each meal, the system may be used to learn to identify indicia or e.g. tell the time that for example corresponds with the mealtime, like breakfast, lunch or dinner time respectively. Such a recurring setting may put for a child telling the time or learning the indicia into context and may make telling the time or learning the indicia less abstract.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The peripheral edge of a dish is provided with indicia, like numerals 1-12 representing e.g. hours, or letters, or pictures representing various objects, such as pictures representing everyday objects or representing animals or representing vegetables or plants. When the indicia are numerals, the dish may represent a clock face. The dish comprises an approximately centrally positioned mounting element. A utensil is provided with the dish. The utensil may be adapted for cooperation with the mounting element. For example, the utensil may be adapted to cooperate with the mounting element at and/or near a first end of the utensil. The utensil may be loosely coupled with the mounting element and the coupling may easily be undone to use the utensil to serve food to a child's mouth. The utensil may cooperate at an end with the indicia of the peripheral edge, e.g. at a second end of the utensil opposite the first end. The second end of the utensil may be provided as a pointer or arrow that cooperates with the indicia. When using numbers as indicia, the child may learn to tell the time and/or may learn to read the numbers. By providing a utensil or utensils as (one of) the hands of a clock, the dish with the utensil(s) may give more directly the association of a clock to, for example, a child and a child may learn to tell the time by being taught the meaning of the position of the utensil in relation to the indicia.

When using for example pictures as indicia, the child may learn to identify the pictures. By providing the utensil for instance as an arrow or e.g. similar to a garden spade (or fork) with open grip and pointy blade or e.g. resembling a builder's saw, the utensil may be used to point to an indicia, e.g. a picture. The picture may be a photo or a drawing or a schematic representation of an object, such as a carrot or other vegetable, or plant or an animal or an everyday object, e.g. a coat, house or builder's vehicle.

When using letters as indicia, the child may learn to identify the letters and/or may learn to read the letters.

The first end of the utensil is referred to herein as 'head'. The second end of the utensil is referred to herein as 'tail-end'.

The system comprising a dish and a utensil is free of a transmission mechanism and/or a driving motor. The utensil is not driven, but may be laid on the mounting element and the position of the utensil may be changed manually.

For example at breakfast time, before the breakfast meal a parent may lay the utensil in such a way on the dish according to the invention that a proper time, like for example seven o'clock, may be indicated. In this way the child is taught the association of seven o'clock with breakfast time. The child could lay the utensil in a different position to attempt to indicate the time when kindergarten starts, etcetera. When ready with the exercise of learning to tell the time, food may be served (if it was not yet) onto a food serving area of the dish and the child may use the utensil for eating the food.

For example, when the indicia represent pictures, the child may be asked by a parent to point the utensil towards the picture of e.g. the carrot or the picture of e.g. a dog or the picture of e.g. the chicken. Also, the child may be asked to tell which animal eats the vegetable shown in the picture pointed at with his utensil or may be asked to perform the noise of the animal or tool like e.g. a hammer (-like spoon) which points at a plank or window (shown on the picture).

For example, if the utensils match the theme of the indicia like e.g. the hands of a clock or garden or building tools (e.g. for the latter a knife which approximately looks like a builder's saw) and thereby an appearance of the utensils corresponding to the indicia on the dish is arranged, a relatively complete and appealing overall impression may be created by the dish pictures in combination with the utensils, e.g. the clock with the hands, a garden theme or building theme, etc.

Many pictures, indicia and/or themes for pictures and indicia are possible. A theme could support interaction between a child and a parent during a meal and for such a theme for example a haft could resemble a police man, fire man, train driver and the like, to be combined with indicia depicting a police car, a fire engine, a train respectively, and so on. Alternatively a haft could resemble a cartoon character in combination with indicia depicting the character's vehicle and other characteristic objects, e.g. the "Fat controller" as a haft combined with indicia of Thomas & friends™ vehicles, like e.g. Thomas, Percy, Bertie and James and/or tunnel, station, junction or signal. In a similar way a theme could be for example 'garden' wherein the utensils could be garden tools and the indicia garden items such as flowers, vegetables, pond, hedge and the like.

Furthermore the tail end of a utensil may be provided with a shape or picture that forms one half and wherein at least one indicia on the peripheral edge forms the other half of the shape or picture, such that when the tail end is coupled with the at least one indicia, two halves are juxtaposed and form together a single complete depicted item such as for example a square or a circle or an animal. The child could than match said halves by rotating the utensils, which could result in e.g. a combination of a lower half of a zebra on e.g. the haft and an upper half of a (sea)lion as an indicia on the peripheral edge of the dish, whereas the peripheral edge further may also provided with an indicia as an upper half of the zebra to form a complete picture.

By providing the mounting element as a support for the first end of the utensil, the utensil may easily cooperate with the mounting element. The bottom side of for example the head of a fork or spoon may usually be convex, and the upper side of for example the head of a fork or a spoon may usually be concave. For example may the top surface of the mounting element be concave in which the convex side of the head of a utensil, e.g. the head of a spoon or fork, may be laid. Also, the mounting element may be provided with a convex support surface over which the concave side of the head of the utensil may be laid. Once a utensil is laid over the mounting element, the head of a second utensil may be laid over the head of the first utensil. The cooperation with the head of the utensil and the mounting element is loosely and a child and/or adult may easily pick up the utensil or may easily lay the utensil in a different position for indicating a different time. By providing the mounting element with a protrusion for cooperation with a recess or opening near the first end of the utensil, a relatively simple coupling mechanism may be provided. For example, the recess or the opening may be provided between the head as first end and the haft of the utensil, thereby positioning the recess near the first end of the utensil. For example may a utensil be mounted on the protrusion by laying the recess or opening onto the protrusion. By providing a recess or opening in the utensil for cooperation with the protrusion of the mounting element, two utensils may be relatively easily laid above each other onto the mounting element as to simulate a clock with for example an hour hand and a minute hand.

A protrusion and opening, magnetic elements or a protrusion and recess may be arranged as cooperating elements on the utensil and the dish. Many other variants of cooperating elements are possible, for example a ball and socket as cooperating elements.

By providing the mounting element with a magnetic element for cooperation with a magnetic element at and/or near the first end of the utensil, the utensil may relatively easily be laid onto the mounting element and removed from the mounting element, also by a child. When a magnetic element is provided at and/or near the first end of each utensil, the utensils may also be laid upon each other as to represent for example the hour hand and the minute hand of a clock. The magnetic element may be provided as a magnet, and/or may be provided as an element of magnetic material, such as e.g. metal, or paint with metallic particles. In an embodiment, the mounting element may be provided with a magnetic element that may cooperate with the first end of a utensil. When the first end, for example the head of the utensil is made of metal, the head may form the magnetic element of the utensil and may cooperate with the magnetic element of the mounting element. Cooperation of the second end of the utensil e.g. the tail-end with the indicia means for example that the tail-end may point towards the indicia, and/or may be laid onto the indicia and/or may be supported by a raised peripheral edge and/or may be coupled to the indicia. For the latter the indicia on the peripheral edge may further be provided as e.g. protrusions like e.g. rib- like or bubble-like elements, but other forms of protrusions are also possible. The tail-end of a utensil may be provided for example with a recess for cooperating with said protrusions. Alternatively, the tail-end of the utensil may be provided with a protrusion and the peripheral edge of the dish may be provided with a recess. By moving the second end of the utensil from one position to an other position over the peripheral edge of the dish, the second end may 'click' on indicia of the peripheral edge, thereby helping the child to find a position of the second end for indicating an appropriate time or for identifying the appropriate picture. For example, the utensil may be rotated around a vertical axis of the mounting element, the first end may be coupled to the mounting element and the second end may be moved over the peripheral edge during rotation.

Alternatively, the peripheral edge may be provided with magnetic and/or metal elements that may be coupled with magnetic and/or metal elements in the tail-ends of the utensil e.g. to improve stability and/or position of a utensil positioned on the mounting element. The magnetic and/or metal elements in the peripheral edge may be provided as an approximately continuous ring or may be provided at discrete locations which preferably coincide with the positions of indicia. For the latter, when rotating the tail end of the utensil it may move in discrete steps, i.e. from one magnetic coupling to the next magnetic coupling, thereby preferably moving from near one indicia to near the next indicia, e.g. to indicate 9 o'clock, 10 o'clock, etc. Also, if two utensils are provided of which one represents the hour and the other represents the minute hand, the haft of the utensil representing the hour hand may be of different appearance, e.g. substantially shorter and/or wider, than the haft of the utensil representing the minute hand. A third utensil, possibly of different appearance than the other two, may be provided to represent a seconds hand. In an embodiment, the haft of the utensil representing the hour hand is substantially shorter and substantially wider than the utensil representing the minute hand. The haft of a utensil representing the seconds hand is substantially narrower and/or substantially longer than the haft of the utensil representing the minute hand and the utensil representing the hour hand.

Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are represented in the subclaims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be explained in more detail on the basis of exemplary embodiments shown in the drawing. In the drawings: FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a first embodiment of a dish of the system according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a schematic overhead view of a first embodiment of two utensils for cooperation with the dish of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional schematic view of the first embodiment of the system according to the invention along the lines 3-3 of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional schematic view of a second embodiment of the system according to the invention;

FIG. 5 shows an exploded overhead view of a utensil for use in the second embodiment of FIG. 4; FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional schematic view of a third embodiment of the system according to the invention;

FIG. 7 shows an exploded overhead view of a utensil for use in the third embodiment of FIG. 6; FIG. 8 shows a cross-sectional schematic view of a fourth embodiment of the system according to the invention;

FIG. 9 shows a schematic overhead view of a utensil for use in the fourth embodiment of FIG. 8;

Fig. 10 shows a schematic perspective view of a fifth embodiment of a dish of the system according to the invention.

The figures are only schematic representations of preferred embodiments of the invention. In the figures, similar or corresponding parts are indicated by the same reference numerals.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION WITH REFERENCE TO THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a dish 1 for use in a system 16 for learning to identify indicia according to the invention. The dish 1 comprises a food serving area 2 enclosed by a peripheral edge 3. On the peripheral edge 3, indicia 4 represent with numbers 1-12 the hours. The dish 1 can thus be used for learning to identify the numbers and/or for learning to tell the time. Preferably, the peripheral edge 3 is higher than the food serving area 2. In this embodiment, the dish 1 is provided as a soup plate. Then, the food can stay more easily within the dish 1 during eating of the food by e.g. a child. Approximately centrally positioned in the food serving area 2 is a frustoconical mounting element 5. The mounting element 5 can be used to heap food against, which may facilitate eating the food from the food serving area 2 by a child. The mounting element 5 may be frustoconical or polygonal or cylindrical or hemispherical or may have any other shape.

The dish 1 may be manufactured from wood, metal, plastic, bamboo, earthenware, stoneware, porcelain, glass, and durable plastics, such as melamine resin, or any other suitable durable material or combination of suitable durable materials.

FIG. 2 shows two utensils 7 for use with the dish 1 of the system for learning to identify indicia, in this embodiment for learning to tell the time of the embodiment of FIG. 1. The utensils 7 are in this embodiment a spoon 8 and a fork 9 and represent respectively the hour hand and the minute hand when laid on the mounting element 5 of FIG. 1. In this embodiment, the hafts of the utensils 7 are suggested to be made from a transparent material such as a transparent plastic like Lexan® or such as Pyrex® glass.

The spoon 8 comprises a haft 10 and a spoon head 11 and the fork 9 comprises a haft 12 and a fork head 13. The heads 11, 13 form the first end of the utensil 7, the opposite second end is formed by the tail-end 18, 19 of the haft 10, 12. The spoon head 11 and the fork head 13 are in this embodiment made of a metal such as stainless steel (of e.g. 1.5 mm thickness) or any other suitable material. Normally such a spoon or a fork head has an extension which continues into the haft by insert molding. When viewed from above, the extensions 14, 15 inside the transparent hafts 10, 12 in this embodiment are of the shape of a clock dial similar to an arrow, whereby the arrow 14 in the haft 10 of the spoon 8 is about 25% shorter and about 40% wider than the arrow 15 inside the haft 12 of the fork 9. Herewith we simulate the commonly accepted form for the difference in the shapes of the hour hand versus the minute hand of clocks in general. Even though the metal arrows 14, 15 will be visible because of the transparent material of the hafts 10, 12, they could be coated with black paint or any other suitable alternative to enhance their visibility. Alternatively the arrows 14, 15 could be provided on hafts made of non-transparent material e.g. by surface applications, painting or on a jacket which slides onto the hafts 10, 12. Alternatively, preferably non-transparent, hafts could be made themselves in shapes which represent clock hands or other items.

The heads 11, 13 may also be made from plastics and may e.g. be formed in one piece with the hafts 10, 12 e.g. with injection molding.

FIG. 3 shows a cross-section view of a system 16 for learning to identify indicia, in this embodiment for learning to tell the time. The system 16 comprises a dish 1 (see FIG. 1) and two utensils 7 (see FIG. 2). The spoon head 11 and the fork head 13 can cooperate with the mounting element 5. The mounting element 5 is approximately centrally positioned in the dish 1 and is here provided with a concave support surface 17. The spoon head 11 and the fork head 13 are normally concave on the upper side, for supporting food normally, and convex on the bottom side, of which preferably their convex bottom side is laid on the concave support surface 17. In this manner the concave side of either the fork head 13 or the spoon head 11 can easily be laid onto the concave support surface 17 of the mounting element 5. Subsequently the convex side of the spoon head 11 can be laid onto the concave side of fork head 13 to cooperate with the latter. Hence, preferably the curvature of the convex and concave sides of the spoon head 11 and fork head 13 are approximately corresponding and may also approximately correspond with the curvature of the convex support surface 17 of the mounting element 5.

The second ends 18, 19 of the utensils 7 can be laid onto the peripheral edge 3 for cooperation with the indicia 4. By laying the tail-end 18 of the spoon 8, on or between certain hour indicia (not shown), the hour can be represented. By laying the tail-end 19 of the fork 9, on or between certain minute indicia (not shown), the minutes can be represented.

With the utensils 7 that are adapted for representing the hour and the minute hand, and with the dish 1 adapted for receiving the hour and the minute hand, a clock can be simulated. This way a child can learn to tell the time in a relatively concrete and less abstract setting, e.g. before the meal starts the time corresponding with the meal time can be indicated and learned. The utensils 7 may also represent for example an arrow or the tail-end may have any form, e.g. spade or saw, so it can be used to point towards an indicia such as a letter or a picture on the peripheral edge 3 of the dish 1.

The utensils 7 are loosely coupled with the mounting element 5. A child can easily lay the utensils 7 onto the mounting element 5, and can easily remove the utensils 7 therefrom, e.g. to use them for eating.

FIG. 4 shows a cross-section view of a second embodiment of a system 16 for learning to tell the time with a dish 1 and utensils 7. The mounting element 5 comprises a frustoconical base 6 similar to FIG. 1 with a protrusion 20 that can cooperate with an opening 21, 22 near the first ends 11, 13 of the utensils 7. In particular, in this embodiment, the openings 21, 22 are arranged between the heads 11, 13 and the hafts 10, 12 respectively. The openings 21, 22 may cooperate with the protrusion 20 to couple the utensil 7 to the mounting element 5 of the dish 1. As shown here, a shoulder 23 is provided for supporting the utensils 7. By providing a shoulder 23, the utensils 7 may be coupled relatively stable to the mounting element 5.

By providing a protrusion 20 and openings 21, 22 as cooperating elements, the utensils 7 are loosely coupled to the dish 1. The second ends 18, 19 of the utensils 7 cooperate with the indicia (not shown) on the peripheral edge 3 of the dish 1 to indicate the time. The utensils 7 can be rotated around the protrusion 20 and thus the indication of the time can easily be changed. Also, a child can easily remove utensils 7 from the protrusion 20.

In this embodiment, the spoon 8 and/or the fork 9 may be positioned on the protrusion 20 irrespective of the orientation of the convex or concave side of the heads 11, 13 of the spoon 8 and/or the fork 9.

Preferably, the height of the convex and concave sides of the heads 11,

13 of the utensils 7 may not be larger than approximately the thickness of the hafts 10, 12, so rotation of one utensil with respect to the other may be relatively easy.

Also the heads 11, 13 and the hafts 10, 12 may have a corresponding shape and/or curvature to allow relative easy rotation of the utensils with respect to each other, thereby avoiding collision in at least one orientation of the utensils with respect to each other, e.g. also when the utensils are above each other pointing towards the same indicia Preferably the shape and/or curvature is such that the utensils will not collide when rotated with respect to each other, also in the orientation when they point approximately towards one and the same indicia, when the utensils are arranged above each other on the mounting element, in at least one orientation, upwards or downwards of the concave side of e.g. the spoon- and the fork head.

The utensils may be tailored such that when both rotating the utensils over the peripheral edge, collision between the utensils may be avoided. The utensils may smoothly rotate along each other when on the mounting element arranged above each other. Preferably the weight distribution of a utensil 7 is such that when the utensil 7 is coupled to the protrusion 20, the utensil 7 may have a relatively stable position. For example, about half of the weight may be distributed on either side of the opening 21, 22 of the utensil 7. This can for example be accomplished by choosing for the haft 10, 12 a plastic material with a specific gravity in combination with the volume of said haft that the normally heavier metal head of the utensil 7 may be approximately counterbalanced. If the utensils 7 alternatively were to be made of only one material, the haft may be partly hollow in order to balance properly with the head of the utensil.

FIG. 5 shows an exploded view of a utensil 7 for use in the embodiment of the system 16 according to FIG. 4. The body of the haft 10 itself is in this embodiment shaped like a clock hand to simulate the hour hand. The spoon head 11 with an extension 14 may be made from one piece of e.g. metal. The extension 14 from the spoon head 11, which continues into the haft 10 by insert molding, is provided with an opening 21' which corresponds with an opening 21" in the haft 10 when the utensil 7 is assembled. The haft 10 may be injection molded, preferably the haft 10 is injection molded around the extension 14 of the head 12. Openings 21' and 21" together form the opening 21 in the haft 10 as shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 shows a cross-section view of a third embodiment of a system 16 for learning to identify indicia, in this embodiment for learning to tell the time comprising a dish 1 and utensils 7. In this embodiment the frustoconical mounting element 5 is provided with a magnetic element 23 positioned near the top surface 17. Magnetic elements 24, 25 may be provided near the heads 11, 13 of utensils 7 for cooperation with the magnetic element 23 of the mounting element 5. The magnetic elements 23, 24, 25 are arranged as cooperating elements. In this embodiment, the magnetic elements 24, 25 are provided between the heads 11, 13 and the hafts 10, 12 of the utensils 7. The magnetic elements may also be provided in the hafts. By providing a magnetic element in each utensil, the utensils 7 may also be coupled to and/or on top of each other, as shown in Fig. 6.

The top surface 17 of said mounting element 5 in this embodiment is preferably approximately horizontal and flat, providing stability to the utensil 7 placed on it and/or to enable to rotate the utensil 7 easily to indicate a different time. Also, the magnetic coupling can be easily undone by a child, when the child e.g. wants to use the utensils for eating.

The magnetic elements 23, 24, 25 may be cylindrical or of other shapes. Preferably the magnetic elements 23, 24, 25 are ball-shaped, because then the magnetic force concentrates on one point, i.e. approximately towards the middle of the support surface 17.

Empirical testing showed that magnetic balls of 7.5 mm diameter and N38 of magnetic strength provided sufficient attractive force to keep the utensils in position, whilst also being weak enough that the user could easily lift the upper utensil, or both utensils, without lifting the dish 1 of approximately 150 grammes.

Furthermore, the magnetic element 23 preferably is provided in a housing which allows it to move freely with respect to the mounting element. Also, the magnetic elements 24, 25 may be provided in a housing in the utensil 7 as to allow the magnetic elements 24, 25 to move freely therein. The housing may also be a part of an haft and/or may be integrated in the haft. This allows rotating one pole of one magnetic element 24, 25 facing an other pole of the other magnetic element 23 regardless of orientation of the utensil 7. A magnetic element may e.g. have a north and/or a south pole. The magnetic element 24, 25 of a second utensil 7 would align itself when the second utensil 7 is laid on top of a first utensil 7 placed on the mounting element 5. Also, the magnetic element of the mounting element and/or the utensil may e.g. be provided by magnetic paint or a magnetic cover or the magnetic element may be fixed to the mounting element or the utensil.

FIG. 7 shows an exploded view of a utensil 7 for use with the embodiment of the system 16 according to the invention shown in FIG. 6. The body of the haft 11 itself is here shaped like a clock hand to represent the minute hand. The fork head 13 comprises in this embodiment an extension 15 to which the haft 11 may be coupled e.g. by injection molding and/or gluing.

The extension 15 from the fork head 13, which continues into the haft by insert molding, is provided with an opening 21' to accommodate the magnetic element (not shown).

In the haft 11, a housing may be provided to house the magnetic element 24, 25. To shield the magnetic element 24, 25 from the head 13 which may be made from metal, a collar 26 (see FIG. 6) may be provided from a nonmagnetic material that may be placed between the magnetic element 24, 25 and a wall of the housing. For example, the collar 26 may be a ring-like element that may enclose the magnetic element 24, 25 loosely, such that the magnetic element 24, 25 may freely rotate in the collar 26. The collar 26 may be a separate component and/or be an integral part of the housing of the haft 11.

In an embodiment, the magnetic elements may be removable mounted in the housing, as to remove them before the dish and/or utensil may be cleaned in e.g. a dishwasher. In an other embodiment, the housing may be hermetically closed to cover the magnetic element and to prevent ingress of water, food and/or dirt. Also in an other embodiment, the magnetic element 23 of the mounting element 5 may cooperate with the first ends 11, 13 of the utensils 7, when the heads 11, 13 are made from metal. No magnetic elements have then to be provided in the utensils, which may make the utensils more cost effective.

FIG. 8 shows a cross-section view of a fourth embodiment of a system 16 for learning to identify indicia, in this embodiment for learning to tell the time with a dish 1 and the utensils 7. The dish 1 comprises a mounting element 5 with a protrusion 20. The protrusion 20 in this embodiment cooperates with a recess 27, 28 in the haft 10, 12 near the head 11, 13 of the utensils 7. The protrusion 20 and the recess 27, 28 are arranged as cooperating elements. The recesses 27, 28 are arranged near the first ends 11, 13. In this embodiment, the recesses 27, 28 are situated between the heads 11, 13 and the hafts 10, 12 of the utensils 7 respectively. The protrusion 20 of the mounting element 5 cooperates with the protrusions 27, 28 for coupling of the utensil 7 with the mounting element 5. Advantageously, the mounting element 5 comprises a shoulder 23 adjacent the protrusion 20 for cooperation with a rim around the recess 27, 28 of the utensil 7. When coupled, the rim rests on the shoulder 23 and the utensil 7 may be positioned more stable on the mounting element 5. In an embodiment, the opposite side 29, 30 of the recess 27, 28 is arranged to cooperate with a recess 27, 28 of an adjacent utensil 7, as shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 9 shows a top view of a utensil 7 for use with the embodiment of the system 16 according to FIG. 8. The body of the haft 31 itself is shaped like a clock hand to represent the seconds hand. The knife head 32 may be made from metal and coupled to the haft 31 e.g. by injection molding of the haft. Also, the knife head 32 and the haft 31 may be made from one piece, e.g. from plastics. The recess 27, 28 and the sides 29, 30 may be formed during the molding of the haft. Fig. 10 shows a schematic perspective view of a dish 1 of a system for learning to identify indicia according to a fifth embodiment of the invention. The indicia 4 are here provided as pictures from everyday objects, such as a house or a flower or a jacket or a bucket, or from animals such as a horse, or a chicken or a duck or a cat or a mouse or a butterfly, or as a letter, here the letter "A". By providing a utensil 7, the utensil 7 can be mounted on the mounting element 5 and can be moved over the mounting element 5 and/or over the peripheral edge 3 to point towards an indicia. A child may point the utensil 7 to a picture 4 and then may tell what the picture 4 represents and/or in addition may make the noise of e.g. the tool, weather condition, animal or vehicle the picture represents. Thus, a system for learning to identify indicia may be provided. Not shown are possible further shapes mentioned for the utensils like tools as mentioned above like e.g. a garden spade or a fork, a hammer, a saw, which ideally would match the theme of the pictures on the peripheral edge, like 'farm' or 'garden' or 'Bob the Builder™'.

In the above, the system 16 has been described with a dish as food serving plate 1 and utensils 7 adapted for cooperation with a mounting element 5 on the food serving plate 1. In particular, the food serving plate 1 may be adapted for receiving utensils 7. The mounting element 5 may be integrally formed with the dish 1, but may also be a loose element that may be placed in the food serving area 2 and may be coupled to the dish 1 magnetically and/or mechanically, e.g. by a screw, a snap fit connection, or any other connection. Also to the mounting element may be attached a plate-like element that corresponds to the food serving area 2 and may be placed in the food serving area 2 as to adapt a normal food serving plate. The indicia may be integrally formed on the peripheral edge of the dish. Also, the indicia may be provided on a separate ring that may be laid over the peripheral edge or may be coupled to the peripheral as to fix the position of the ring during use. According to an other aspect of the invention, also a set of utensils may be provided wherein the utensils are adapted for use in a system according to the invention, wherein one utensil represents an hour hand and one utensil represents a minute hand. The set of utensils may comprise utensils, wherein the haft of the utensil representing the hour hand is substantially shorter and substantially wider than the haft of the utensil representing the minute hand. The set of utensils may comprise utensils, wherein the haft of the utensil representing the hour hand is approximately 25% shorter and approximately 40% wider than the haft of the utensil representing the minute hand. The set of utensils may comprise utensils and may further comprise a utensil representing the seconds hand. The set of utensils may comprise utensils, wherein the haft of the utensil representing the seconds hand is substantially narrower and/or substantially longer than the haft of the utensil representing the hour hand and the haft of the utensil representing the minute hand. The haft of the utensil representing the seconds hand may be approximately 25% longer and approximately 40% narrower than the haft of the utensil representing the minute hand. Each of the embodiments of the system described above may be provided with a set of utensils comprising utensils representing one of the hour hand, the minute hand or the seconds hand.

Different embodiments of the utensils, of the dishes and/or of the mounting elements have been described that may also be used when the dish comprises numbers and/or letters and/or pictures as indicia. Many combinations of the different embodiments described above may be possible.

In the embodiments explained above, a utensil may be provided with a cooperating element for cooperation with a cooperating element on the dish, e.g. a protrusion and opening, or magnetic elements, or a protrusion and recess. The cooperating element on the dish is preferably arranged on at or in the mounting element. The cooperating element of the utensil may be provided at, in or near the haft. The cooperating element of the utensil may also be the head-end of the utensil that cooperates with the cooperating element i.e. the support surface of the mounting element. Many other cooperating elements and positions thereof are possible.

Preferably, for a utensil with a cooperating element, the height of the convex and concave sides of the heads of the utensils may not be larger than the thickness of the hafts, so rotation of one utensil with respect to the other may be relatively easy.

More preferably, the weight distribution of a utensil is such that when the utensil is coupled to the dish via the cooperating elements, the utensil may have a relatively stable position. For example, about half of the weight may be distributed on either side of the cooperating element of the utensil, such that the centre of gravity of the utensil approximately coincides with the cooperating element of the utensil. Also when the hafts of the utensils have varying thickness, the hafts are preferably tailored such that when arranged above each other the hafts can smoothly rotate along each other over the peripheral edge and collision between the hafts may be avoided.

Many variants will be clear to the person skilled in the art. Also may e.g. the first end cooperating with the mounting element be the tail-end of the haft of the utensil, and may the second end cooperating with the indicia on the peripheral edge be the head of the utensil. Also, a time or picture recognition system (e.g. battery driven) may be provided in the dish to recognize the time or picture that is indicated by the utensils. For example, a voice may then say the time or picture or e.g. copy the noise of an animal indicated to provide direct feedback to the child that positioned the utensils. For example, the dish may be arranged to give instructions to the child, e.g. with a voice signal (e.g. asking; "where is the dog" or "indicate 6 o'clock"), and after the child has positioned the utensils, feedback may be provided by the voice signal (e.g. "well done!" or "try again?"). The time or picture recognition system could be arranged removable in the dish, e.g. inside the mounting element, then it may be removed before the dish may be placed in e.g. a dishwasher. Alternatively, the time or picture recognition system may be arranged in a waterproof casing of the dish. The variants are understood to fall within the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Henceforth it will readily be apparent that numerous modifications and alterations can be made to the embodiments described about without departing from the principles underlying this invention, and all such modifications and alterations are intended to be embraced by the invention as defined in the following claims.

Claims

1. System for learning to identify indicia comprising a dish and at least one utensil wherein said dish comprises an approximately centrally positioned mounting element for cooperation with the utensil, wherein said dish comprises indicia on a peripheral edge for cooperation with an end of said utensil for indicating said indicia.

2. System according to claim 1, wherein the utensil is adapted for cooperation with the mounting element at and/or near a first end of the utensil.

3. System according to claim 2, wherein the utensil is adapted for cooperation with the indicia on the peripheral edge at a second end opposite the first end of the utensil.

4. System according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the shape of at least one of the utensils matches the theme of the indicia on the peripheral edge of the dish.

5. System according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the utensil represents either the hour, minute or seconds hand.

6. System according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising more than one utensil wherein each utensil represents one of an hour hand, a minute hand or a seconds hand.

7. System according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the peripheral edge is substantially higher than a food serving area of the dish.

8. System according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the utensil is provided with a cooperating element for cooperation with a cooperating element on the dish.

9. System according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the mounting element comprises a support surface as cooperating element for receiving the first end of a utensil as cooperating element of the utensil.

10. System according to claim 8, wherein the mounting element comprises a protrusion for cooperation with a recess near the first end of the utensil.

11. System according to claim 8, wherein the mounting element comprises a protrusion for cooperation with an opening near the first end of the utensil.

12. System according to claim 8, wherein the mounting element comprises a magnetic element and/or metal element for cooperation with a magnetic element and/or metal element at and/or near the first end of the utensil.

13. System according to claim 12, wherein the utensil and/or the mounting element comprises a housing for containing the magnetic element freely movable therein.

14. System according to any one of the claims 5 - 13, wherein a haft of one utensil representing the hour hand is substantially shorter and substantially wider than a haft of an other utensil representing the minute hand.

15. System according to claim 14, wherein a haft of the utensil representing the hour hand is approximately 25% shorter and approximately 40% wider than a haft of the utensil representing the minute hand.

16. System according to claim 14 or 15, wherein the haft of the utensil representing the seconds hand is substantially narrower and/or substantially longer than the haft of the utensil representing the hour hand and the haft of the utensil representing the minute hand.

17. System according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the indicia represent a number and/or a letter and/or a picture.

18. System according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the centre of gravity of the utensils coincides approximately with the cooperating element of the utensil.

19. System according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the height of the convex and concave sides of the head of the utensil is approximately smaller than the thickness of the haft.