WO2013155509A1

WO2013155509A1 - Packaging for cutlery

Info

Publication number: WO2013155509A1
Application number: PCT/US2013/036542
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michael D. GODLEY; William C. Godley
Original assignee: Godley Michael D; Godley William C
Priority date: 2012-04-13
Filing date: 2013-04-15
Publication date: 2013-10-17
Also published as: US20130270330A1

Abstract

A cellophane sanitary wrapping for cutlery, such as a knife, spoon, fork or serving utensil, covers at least the head of the cutlery and not more than a portion of the handle and is sealed around the head except for a small opening for the neck of the head where the handle can be joined to the head, before or after the wrap is applied to the handle. The wrapping is adapted for keeping the head clean until it is pulled clear of said head by a user just prior to use. The wrapping can be easily removed by grasping the uncovered portion of the handle in one hand and the wrapping in the other hand and then pulling the two in opposing directions.

Description

TITLE

PACKAGING FOR CUTLERY

PRIORITY CLAIM

[0001] The present application claims the benefit of priority to US provisional patent application number 61/623,940, filed April 13, 2012, and claims priority to US patent application number 13/883,251 , filed March 15, 2013.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to packaging for cutlery, a system for packaging cutlery and a method for packaging cutlery.

[0003] Cutlery includes knives, forks and spoons and may be provided by commercial and retail establishments in consuming eat-in or take-out food. These establishments include, but are not limited to, restaurants, cafeterias, retail food outlets, caterers, hospitals, nursing homes, schools, churches, and shelters and others that provide food on a regular or episodic basis and as a primary function or ancillary to their primary function.

[0004] Cutlery is provided to users in different ways. For example, it may be placed on tables in restaurants, sometimes presented wrapped in napkins, or it may be provided in bins or containers from which customers take such cutlery as needed as, for example, in cafeterias. In other cases, such as in take-out or catered lunches, a cutlery set is included within a wrapped assembly that includes a knife, fork and spoon, and perhaps a paper napkin. The wrapping helps to assure the cutlery is sanitary when received by the customer.

[0005] There remains a need for a better way of providing cutlery to the public.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] According to its major aspects and briefly recited, the present invention is

wrapped cutlery and a method and system for wrapping cutlery. In general, the term cutlery includes knives, spoons, forks and serving utensils, each of which has a handle end and a head end. In the present invention the head of the cutlery may have a neck to which the handle is attached or is attachable. The wrapping covers the head, and may cover the neck and a portion of the handle but not all of the handle, and may be twisted or sealed, either with heat or adhesives, around the head, and perhaps the neck and a portion of the handle. The wrapping, which may be made of cellophane, is adapted for keeping so much of the cutlery clean as necessary until it is pulled clear of the cutlery by a user. The cutlery may be any type of cutlery, for single- use (i.e., "disposable") or multiple use (i.e., "permanent") cutlery, or partially reusable such as a reusable handle but a disposable head, and may be made of any material such as metal, wood, plastic, composite, or a combination thereof. For example, the head of the cutlery may be made of food grade plastic and the handle made of non- food grade plastic. The handle may also be designed so that it is interchangeably attachable to any head, such as the head of a fork, knife, spoon or soup spoon.

[0007] The present invention is also a method of making cutlery, wherein the method comprises the steps of providing a handle; providing a head that may have a neck; then covering at least the head but no more than the head and a portion of the handle so that a user may grasp the uncovered portion of the handle in one hand and the wrapper in the other hand and then, by pulling his hands in an opposing direction, remove the wrapping. The handle may be joined to the head after the wrapping is sealed or before or be manufactured to be integral with the head. Alternatively, the entire head may be sealed and then joined to a handle when the wrapping is removed from the wrapper.

[0008] Prior art cutlery wrapping, while it serves the purpose of keeping cutlery sterile, is often difficult to open and in the process of doing so, small bits of wrapping may remain statically attached to disposable cutlery. The wrapping is thin and can cut soft tissue such as lips and tongue. The present cutlery wrapping is easier to remove and still keeps the head sanitary for the user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of the specification, illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, disclose the principles of the invention.

[0010] In the drawings:

[0011] Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the present cutlery, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0012] Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the assembled cutlery of Fig. 1 , according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0013] Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the wrapped cutlery, according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention; and

[0014] Fig. 4A and 4B are side and top schematic diagrams of a manufacturing

process for wrapping the present cutlery, according to an embodiment of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0015] The present invention is wrapped cutlery and method for wrapping cutlery.

Cutlery includes tools used for serving and eating food, such as knives, forks, spoons, soup spoons and serving utensils. Cutlery may be permanent (that is, expected to be used and then washed for reuse) or single use (that is, used once and then disposed). Cutlery may be made of plastic, metal, composite, wood or a combination of materials. Cutlery may be formed in one piece or formed in two (or more) pieces that are fastened together either before or after being wrapped. Cutlery that is made in pieces and then fastened together may be fastened mechanically such as by a friction fit, a snap lock, or other means. Alternatively, the head and handle may be glued.

[0016] Referring now to the figures, Fig. 1 shows an exploded view of the present cutlery 10 and Fig. 2 shows an assembled view of an embodiment of the present invention. Cutlery 10 has a head 12 and a handle 14. Head 12, as depicted in Figs. 1 and 2, is a fork head having spaced-apart, parallel tines 16 that are joined at 18 and then narrow to form a neck 20. While the particular piece of cutlery shown is a traditionally shaped fork, it will be clear that a spoon, knife or other eating utensil will have a similar overall appearance except for the shape of head 12. All, however, may narrow to form a neck of the same dimensions and shape as the neck of the fork head 12 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 if part of the same cutlery set. In particular, cutlery 10 may have any type or style of neck 20 (or no neck at all) and companion pieces of same cutlery set (i.e., the knife and spoon) will have the same style as the fork so that any of the companion pieces may be joined to the same handle 14 as the fork-shaped head 12 and have a similar shape and appearance of handle and neck. Various shapes for the heads of forks, spoons and knives and other eating utensils and the shapes of handles are well-known. Although the precise choice for heads and handle designs is not critical, the heads of each of the companion pieces of cutlery should terminate in such a manner that they can be received conveniently by the same handle.

[0017] In addition to cutlery 10, a wrapping 30 covers at least head 12 and may also cover a first portion of handle 14 leaving a second portion of handle 14 uncovered. A person of ordinary skill in the art understands that "a first portion" of handle 14 means the proximal portion of handle 14, that is, the portion on the end of the handle that is connected to head 12. In two-piece cutlery, the joint connecting head 12 and handle 14 is covered by the packaging (which is important, namely, for sanitary purposes). A non-limiting example of a proximal portion of the handle being covered by packaging is shown in Figure 2, which shows the joint connection between head 12 and handle 14 as covered. Fig. 2 also shows a distal portion of handle 14 not covered by the packaging. A person of ordinary skill in the art would understand that "distal portion of handle" means the portion of handle 14 that is not covered and which therefore allows a user to grasp the packaging on head 12 with one hand and handle 14 directly with the other hand, and then remove wrapping 30 by pulling both hands in opposing directions. Wrapping 30 may be formed of one folded layer or two separate layers of flexible material 32, 34, such as paper, other cellulosic material, plastic, or foil with the open sides sealed together around head 12 with heat or adhesives, except possibly for leaving unsealed a small opening at neck 20 which may be left open if neck 20 is to be accessible through that opening in wrapping 30. Handle 14 may be attached to head 12 at neck 20 before wrapping 30 is applied, after it is applied, or after wrapping 30 is removed. Fig. 2 illustrates wrapped cutlery 10 that is made by joining two pieces of plastic; Fig. 3 illustrates wrapped cutlery 10' made with integral head 12' and handle 14' with head 12' inside wrapping 30' and wrapping 30' extending to cover a portion of handle 14'.

[0018] Wrapping is intended to both provide a lower cost sanitary cover for the portion of cutlery that will contact the mouth of the user, or the portion that comes into contact with food as in the case with a knife, and to be easily removable. Wrapping 30, 30' at least covers head 12, 12' and may include neck 20, 20' and a portion of handle 14, 14' to provide a sanitary eating surface. The portion of handle 14, 14' covered is preferably not more than half of handle 14, 14' but should leave an uncovered portion that is large enough for the user to grasp the uncovered portion with one hand, for example, between the thumb and the index finger, and wrapping 30, 30' with the other hand, and then by pulling the user's two arms in opposing directions, easily separate wrapping 30, 30' from cutlery 10. Figs. 2 and 3 show wrapping 30, 30' covering head 12, 12'. Fig. 3 shows wrapping 30' covering a portion of handle 14'.

[0019] The sanitary wrapping 30 is preferably a low cost, thin, flexible plastic film such as cellophane that is inexpensive, non-toxic, odorless, impermeable to air and pathogens, and can be wrapped after being heated so that it stays wrapped upon cooling, or heat-sealed to itself or to an adjacent cellophane surface or sealed using adhesives. Importantly, wrapping 30, 30' is dimensioned to cover head 12, 12' of cutlery 10, 10' but not also all of handle 14, 14', as shown in Figs. 1-3. Head 12, 12' of cutlery 10, 10' is the end of cutlery 10, 10' that opposes handle 14, 14' and is joined to handle 14, 14' in use, typically at neck 20 which is integrally formed with head 12.

[0020] Head 12, 12' of cutlery 10, 10' is the part of cutlery 10, 10' that is intended to come into contact with food, either in eating or serving food. Handle 14, 14' is the part of cutlery 10, 10' that is held by the user. For example, head 12, 12' of a fork includes tines and the portion of the fork where the tines come together. The head 12, 12' of a spoon is the spoon bowl. The head 12, 12' of a knife is the blade.

[0021] Neck 20, 20' of cutlery 10, 10' is where head 12, 12' joins handle 14, 14'.. Near that joint, the sanitary wrapping 30, 30' ends so that head 12, 12' of cutlery 0, 10' is completely sealed but all or much of handle 14, 14' is outside wrapping 30, 30' and the only opening in what is an otherwise complete seal is near neck 20, 20'. The wrapped cutlery 10, 10' remains sanitary, that is, head 12, 12' cannot be touched directly and does not come readily into direct contact with bacterial contamination.

[0022] A method of wrapping cutlery 10, 10' may comprise the steps of providing

cutlery having a handle 14, 14' and a head 12, 12', handle 14, 14' being joined to head 12, 12'; and then applying a wrapping 30, 30' to cover at least head 12, 12' of the cutlery 10, 10' but leaving only so much of handle 14, 14' uncovered by wrapping 30, 30' for the user to grasp the uncovered portion of handle 14, 14' in one hand while grasping wrapping 30, 30' in another hand so as to remove wrapping 30, 30' by pulling wrapping 30, 30' from cutlery 10, 10'.

[0023] In the method, wrapping 30, 30' may cover no more than half of handle 14, 14'.

[0024] In the method, head 12, 12' and handle 14, 14' may be integrally formed.

[0025] In the method, after wrapping 30, 30' is applied to head 12, 12', handle 14, 14' may then be attached to head 12, 12'.

[0026] Wrapping 30, 30' may be applied, as shown in Figs. 4A and 4B, by providing a continuous set of two parallel bands of plastic 50, 52, with the faces of the bands in registration with each other and running in the same direction but on opposing sides of a row of individual, spaced-apart, pieces of cutlery 60. The bands of plastic 50, 52, are dimensioned to cover just heads 62 of cutlery 60 which is moved on a conveyor 58 and may be held by its handle perpendicular to the direction of movement to improve productivity. Wrapping 30, 30' is heat-sealed by heater 64 around each head 62 of each piece of cutlery 10, leaving only a small unsealed portion of wrapping 30, 30' through which the narrowest part of head 62 (i.e., a neck) is accessible, and is then perforated or cut by cutter 66 so that each individual piece of cutlery 60 is wrapped and separated or separable from the next piece of cutlery 60, so it falls from conveyor 58 into a receptacle 68.

[0027] Alternatively, a single sheet of wrapping may be folded and cutlery 60 inserted between the fold, then sealed on the remaining three sides and perforated, or, in still another method for wrapping the present cutlery 60, wrapping 30, 30' may be applied so as to cover head 62 and then twisted at its neck.

[0028] Various machines exist that may be adapted to wrap cutlery in the manner described herein, including US5241807A, US Pub. 20090056287A1 ,

WO2006014107A1 , WO2004071892A1 , WO2000021835A1 , EP1860032A1 ,

EP1776274A1 , EP1447347A1 , EP1041005A1 , all of which are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference.

[0029] Heads 12, 12' of cutlery 10, 10' may be sealed before or after being joined to handles 14, 14'. For example, heads 12, 12' may be made of metalized food grade plastics at one manufacturing facility, and handles 14, 14' may be made of non-food grade plastics in various colors at a different manufacturing facility or a different part of the same facility. Heads 12, 12' may be wrapped in the present sterilized packaging at the first facility and joined later in the facility prior to shipment, at the point of distribution, at the point of sale, or just prior to the point of use. The ability to manufacture handles 14, 14' of non-food grade plastics, particularly handles 14, 14' that are interchangeable among heads 12, 12' of forks, knives and spoons, but can be customized in other ways, such as by using different colors, other design elements, logos, names or monograms, thereby allowing for mass customization with the attendant lower cost of manufacture but higher value proposition for the wholesale and retail purchasers.

[0030] By sealing heads 12, 12' only, there is a 60% savings in wrapping material without degradation of food safety. The present wrapping 30 also results in a 40 percent increase in manufacturing productivity by sealing just head 12, 12' compared to sealing the whole of the cutlery 10, 10'. For disposable plastic cutlery 10, 10', the present invention provides a significant advantage in lower material cost and higher productivity and is part of a more flexible manufacturing process that facilitates mass customization of cutlery

[0031] As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed

herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily drawn to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art of cutlery manufacture and commercial use of same, that many changes and

substitutions may be made to the foregoing description of preferred embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, which is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A piece of cutlery, comprising:

(a) a handle;

(b) a head attached to said handle, said head having a neck; and

(c) a wrapping covering at least said head and not covering at least a portion of said handle.

2. The piece of cutlery as recited in claim 1 , wherein said wrapping is made of flexible material.

3. The piece of cutlery as recited in claim 1 , wherein said wrapping is made of plastic.

4. The piece of cutlery as recited in claim 1 , wherein said wrapping is made of cellophane.

5. The piece of cutlery as recited in claim 1 , wherein said wrapping is heat sealed with said head inside said wrapping.

6. The piece of cutlery as recited in claim 1 , wherein said wrapping is heat sealed with said head inside said wrapping and said handle attached to said head.

7. The piece of cutlery as recited in claim 1 , wherein said wrapping is made of two layers of plastic sealed together.

8. The piece of cutlery as recited in claim 7, wherein said two layers are sealed using heat.

9. The piece of cutlery as recited in claim 7, wherein said two layers are sealed using adhesives.

10. The piece of cutlery as recited in claim 1 , wherein said wrapping is twisted about said neck.

1 1. A piece of cutlery, comprising:

(a) a head, said head being a fork head, a knife head or a spoon head;

(b) a handle attached to any one of said fork head, said knife head or said spoon head; and

(c) a wrapping covering at least said head but not more than a first portion of said handle.

12. The piece of cutlery as recited in claim 11 , wherein said first portion of said handle leaves an unwrapped second portion that is sufficient for a user to grasp with one hand.

13. Cutlery, comprising: (a) a head, said head selected from a knife head, a fork head or a spoon head;

(b) a neck, said head attached to said neck;

(c) a handle, said neck configured to be attachable to said handle; and

(d) a wrapping covering said head and a first portion of said handle, said wrapping being sealed about said head and said first portion of said handle.

14. The cutlery as recited in claim 13, wherein said wrapping covers said neck.

15. The cutlery as recited in claim 13, wherein said wrapping is transparent.

16. The cutlery as recited in claim 13, wherein said wrapping is made of a cellulosic material.

17. A method for wrapping cutlery, said cutlery having a head and a handle, said method comprising the step of applying a wrapping to said head and at most only a portion of said handle.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein said portion is no more than half of said handle.

19. The method as recited in claim 17, further comprising the steps of

(a) leaving a hole in said wrapping; and

(b) joining said handle to said head after said head is wrapped.

20. A method for manufacturing cutlery, said cutlery having a head and a handle, said method comprising:

(a) molding said head;

(b) molding said handle;

(c) wrapping said head; and

(d) then connecting said head to said handle.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein said head is a fork head, a knife head, or a spoon head.

22. A method for manufacturing cutlery, said cutlery having a head and a handle, said method comprising:

(a) molding said head;

(b) molding said handle;

(c) connecting said handle to said head;

(d) wrapping said head but leaving a portion of said handle unwrapped.

23. A system for wrapping injection-molded cutlery, said cutlery having a head and a handle, said system comprising:

(a) a conveyor;

(b) wrapping proximate to said conveyor; and

(c) a cutter proximate to said conveyor, said conveyor holding said cutlery and moving said cutlery, proximate to said wrapping so that said wrapping can be applied to said head of said cutlery so that said head of said cutlery is covered by said wrapping but leaving at least a portion of said handle uncovered by said wrapping, said cutter separating said wrapped cutlery from said wrapping.

24. The system as recited in claim 23, wherein said handle of said cutlery has a major axis and wherein said cutlery is held by said handle and moved by said conveyor perpendicular to the major axis of the handle.

25. The system as recited in claim 23, further comprising a heater, said heater sealing said wrapping.