Abstract:
A spoon head device that may be readily picked up and set down by a pair of chopsticks, to permit a user to use chopsticks to eat solid food and readily engage the spoon head to fashion a spoon for consuming liquid, such as soup. Various embodiments are disclosed that afford hygienic storage between use while eating, various chopstick tip engaging structures, flotation and other benefits and features of the present invention.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/991,169, filed on May 9, 2015, entitled Spoon Utensil Clasped with Chopsticks and having the inventor(s) listed above. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a spoon head configured to be securely yet readily and releasably grasped by chopsticks. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a spoon head configured such that a user may readily and hygienically switch between using chopsticks to eat solid food and releasably grasping the spoon head to eat/drink liquid food (ie, soup, etc.). 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Chopsticks are known in the art. Spoons are known in the art. Typically, if a person has a solid food dish and soup, the person switches between chopsticks and a spoon, respectively, to eat these dishes. In switching, the person inevitably places the utensil not in use on the table or other surface. Is that table clean? Was someone else eating there previously? This creates a potentially unhygienic situation, plus clutter and the petty nuisance of repeatedly switching utensils. 
         [0004]    Some chopstick spoon heads are known in the art, yet these devices typically have two holes in their base and a user wedges the tips of the chopsticks into those holes. In so doing, the user has created a long-handled spoon. The spoon head, however, is not readily detachable, nor is it hygienically detachable. It requires a user to manually wrangle the head off the chopsticks. 
         [0005]    Thus, these prior art spoon heads are disadvantageous in that they are not readily switchable between spoon mode or chopstick mode and hence a user cannot enjoy solid and liquid food at the same time using them. 
         [0006]    A need exists for a spoon head that may be readily and hygienically engaged and disengaged by chopsticks as a person switches between solid and liquid food, and/or that may be effectively used with different sizes and styles of chopsticks (for example, wider Chinese chopsticks or narrower Japanese chopsticks). A need further exists for such a spoon head that can be picked up in a precise and/or predictable manner and one that may be stored with or on a bowl, or that will float, for convenient storage when not in immediate use. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a chopstick spoon head device that overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art. 
         [0008]    It is another object of the present invention to provide such a spoon head device that may be readily contactable and securely held by a pair of chopsticks. 
         [0009]    It is also an object of the present invention to provide such a spoon head device that is readily and conveniently stowable when not in immediate use. 
         [0010]    It is yet another object of the present invention to provide such a spoon head device that accommodates different size and style of chopsticks. 
         [0011]    These and related objects of the present invention are achieved by use of a spoon head device for use with chopsticks as described herein. 
         [0012]    The attainment of the foregoing and related advantages and features of the invention should be more readily apparent to those skilled in the art, after review of the following more detailed description of the invention taken together with the drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIGS. 1-3  are top, side and perspective views of one embodiment of a spoon head device for use with chopsticks in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIGS. 4-6  are a top, side and bottom perspective view of another embodiment of a spoon head device in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIGS. 7 and 8  are perspective views of two other embodiments of a spoon head in accordance with the present invention, respectively. 
           [0016]      FIGS. 9-10  are perspective views of another embodiment of a spoon head in accordance with the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0017]      FIGS. 1-3  are top, side and perspective views of one embodiment of a spoon head device  100  for use with chopsticks in accordance with the present invention. 
         [0018]      FIGS. 4-6  are a top, side and bottom perspective view of another embodiment of a spoon head device  200  in accordance with the present invention.  FIG. 4  illustrates spoon head  200  in the in-use position, while  FIG. 5  illustrates spoon head  200  on the edge of a bowl. Spoon head  100  of  FIGS. 1-3  may be used and stowed in a manner similar to spoon head  200 . 
         [0019]    Spoon head  100  may include a spoon “bowl”  110  with a bottom  112  and contiguous side walls  114  (similar to a conventional spoon), thus defining a volume to hold liquid. Chopstick tip engaging structures (CTES)  118 , 119  are preferably positioned at a base region or back end  120  of spoon bowl  110 . In the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-3 , the CTES  118 , 119  may, respectively, include chopstick engaging surfaces  121 , 122 . The chopstick engaging surfaces preferably extend from the bowl and are configured to be readily grasped by chopsticks, so that the chopsticks effectively become a handle of the “spoon” formed thereby. A “hook” or recess-and-hook or other mount structure/arrangement may be provided. Engaging surfaces  121 , 122  and mount structure  140  may be located in or near a base region  120  of the spoon head. Mount structure  140  allows ready stowage of the spoon head on a bowl or other structure when not in use (or between uses), thereby keeping it off the table or other surfaces and thereby away from contamination. 
         [0020]    Spoon head  100  may be molded or formed from a single piece of material, or may have a plurality of parts coupled together, or be otherwise fabricated (i.e., 3D printing, etc). 
         [0021]    Chopstick engaging surfaces  121 , 122  may be or approach being cylindrically concave, generally as shown, or be otherwise arranged, i.e., angled, otherwise curved, a combination of angles and curved, etc. In  FIGS. 1-3 , these surfaces are the outward-facing surface of members  125 , 126 , respectively. The surfaces are preferably arranged symmetrical about a longitudinal centerline  130  of the spoon head. When grasping spoon head  100  with chopsticks, the chopsticks essentially become the handle of the spoon, as shown for example in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0022]    By grasping and releasing spoon head  100  as appropriate, a user can alternate between picking up “solid” food items directly with their chopsticks and engaging the spoon head with the chopsticks to scoop up liquid. The distance between the engaging surfaces  121 , 122  should be suited to comfortable grasping with the chopstick tips. The chopstick engaging surfaces may taper towards each other near the back and/or bottom of the bowl to reflect the natural convergence of chopsticks from a user&#39;s hand to their tips. 
         [0023]    The size and configuration of engaging surfaces  121 , 122  are preferably chosen to achieve a firm and stable grip of the chopsticks against the spoon head while also allowing the spoon head to be quickly picked up and set down by the chopsticks. It also enables use of the chopsticks to quickly switch between grasping the spoon head and grasping solid food items. 
         [0024]    Members  125 , 126  may be made from resilient material which can deform slightly when subjected to the grasping force of the chopsticks, thus aiding in grip and accommodating varying angles between the two chopsticks (which can depend on the size of a user&#39;s hand, the length of the chopsticks, and the distance from a user&#39;s hand to where the chopsticks contact surfaces  121 , 122 ). Members  125 , 126  may also be formed as a single member with the two contact surfaces  121 , 122  disposed outwardly therefrom. One suitable material from which the member(s) may be made is resilient plastic. In addition, chopstick engaging surfaces  121 , 122  may have material which is chosen to provide enhanced friction against the chopsticks to aid in gripping. For example, the spoon head may be made from unfinished wood, or the spoon head may be made of metal or ceramic with or without rubber surfaces attached to members  125 , 126  to increase friction. Various other materials and combinations of materials are possible without departing from the present invention. 
         [0025]    In  FIGS. 2-3 , mount structure  140  is shown. In the embodiment of  FIG. 2 , the mount structure takes the form of recesses  142  formed towards the bottom of members  125 , 126 . These recesses are configured in size and orientation such that spoon head  100  may rest or hang from the rim of a bowl, e.g., the size and orientation are complementary to the rims of commonly used bowls (see  FIG. 5 ). Furthermore, the recesses  142  are preferably wide enough for the spoon head to easily rest or hang upon the rim of a bowl, while being small enough to hang securely (a bias member could also be included in enhance secure mounting). Mount structure  140  is oriented so as to provide a convenient and comfortable angle for a user to grasp chopstick engaging surfaces  121 , 122  when picking up the spoon head. The spoon head may rest primarily inside or outside of the bowl, and with the spoon bowl facing away from or towards the dish to which it is mounted. 
         [0026]      FIG. 2  illustrates that the CTES  118  has a principal axis, B, and may be disposed at an angle α from a best-fit horizontal plane, A (i.e., where a best-fit horizontal plane is a horizontal plane at which the spoon bowl holds the most liquid and that is parallel with the surface of the liquid in the best-fit position). Alpha, α, may have an angle of 0 to 90 degrees, or 5 to 80 degrees, or 10 to 70 degrees, or more ideally 15-60 degrees, i.e., similar to a conventional spoon. 
         [0027]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , another embodiment of a spoon head  200  in accordance with the present invention that is grasped by chopsticks  50  is shown. Spoon head  200  preferably includes a spoon bowl, with a bottom and contiguous wall, a back or base region  220 , and two chopstick tip engaging structure (CTESs)  218 , 219 . Each CTES preferably includes a chopstick engaging surface  221 , 222 , respectively. 
         [0028]    While the chopstick engaging surfaces of spoon head  100  are concave, surfaces  221 , 222  of members  225 , 226  are substantially flat. Secure placement and retention of chopstick tips is achieved with each tip contacting both an engaging member and a portion of the spoon bowl immediately adjacent the engaging member. In this arrangement, the chopstick tips wedge into the base region  220  and securely hold it.  FIG. 4  shows spoon head  200  held by chopsticks for use as a spoon. 
         [0029]    The chopstick tip engaging structures  218 , 219  are preferably configured with the back of bowl  210  to have an angle, α, at which the chopsticks may be positioned that is similar to α as described above for spoon head  100 . 
         [0030]    In  FIG. 4 , the tips  51  of chopsticks  50  are shown in contact with the engaging surfaces  221 , 222  of spoon head  200  and with the back side of bowl  210 . 
         [0031]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , spoon head  200  is shown mounted to bowl  60 . In  FIG. 6 , a bottom perspective view of spoon head  200  is shown. It can be seen that member  225 , 226  have recesses  242  that fit over the rim  61  of bowl  60 . There is also a recess  243  in the underside of spoon bowl  210  that aids in forming a mounting structure  240 . Engaging surface  222  is shown and engaging surface  221  is generally symmetrically about a longitudinal centerline  230 . 
         [0032]    Spoon head  200  may include a bowl  210  and a base region  220  similar to spoon head  100 . The bowl preferably includes a bottom  212  and side walls  214 . Two members  225 , 226  may extend from bowl  210  and they may be arranged to present engaging surfaces  221 , 222  at a desired angle and position. The bottom of members  225 , 226  may include a recess  242  for mounting to a bowl. The bottom rear of bowl  210  may also include an indentation  243  which contributes to mount structure  240  and stowage of the spoon head on a bowl rim (or other structure) between uses. 
         [0033]    It should be recognized that the angled shape of the engaging surfaces and their position with the rear of the spoon head serve to guide a user&#39;s chopsticks in to an accurate and predictable position for lifting and holding the spoon head. This accurate, secure positioning may be achieved by other embodiments herein as well. 
         [0034]    Referring to  FIG. 7 , a perspective view of another embodiment of a spoon head  300  in accordance with the present invention is shown. Spoon head  300  may include a bowl  310  and a base region  320  similar to spoon heads  100 , 200 . The bowl  310  preferably includes a bottom  312  and contiguous side walls  314 . 
         [0035]    In  FIG. 7 , the chopstick tip engaging structures CTESs  318 , 319  are configured in principal part in the shaping of bowl  310 . Bowl  310  may include indentations  327 , 328  towards the base  320  thereof that define chopstick engaging surfaces  321 , 322  of CTES  318 , 319 , respectively. Lip  361 , discussed below, also forms part of forms part of the CTES. The CTESs  318 , 319  preferably have a principal axis that is disposed at the angle alpha of spoon heads  100 , 200 . 
         [0036]    A mount structure  340  may include a mount member  341  that is flange-like or otherwise configured. The mount member  341  may include or define a recess  342  used for coupling spoon head  300  to the rim  61  of a bowl (e.g., see  FIG. 5 ). 
         [0037]    Referring to  FIG. 8 , a perspective view of another spoon head  400  for use with chopsticks in accordance with the present invention is shown. Spoon head  400  may include a bowl  410  and a base region  420  similar to spoon heads  100 , 200 , 300 . The bowl may include a bottom  412  and side walls  414 . Two CTESs  418 , 419  may extend from the bowl and include both guides  431 , 432  and chopstick engaging surfaces  421 , 422 , respectively. The two guides  431 , 432  are preferably aligned with contact surfaces  421 , 422  on the rear side of bowl  410 . In use, a user places the tips of their chopsticks into guide recesses  431 , 432  to hold the spoon head laterally, with the tips extending below the guides a sufficient distance to brace against the contact surfaces  421 , 422  on the back side of bowl  410 . In this manner, the spoon head is stably retained and held against further rotation in a vertical plane or horizontal plane, relative to the chopsticks. 
         [0038]    Spoon head  400  preferably has a mount structure  440  that includes two mount recesses  442  that releasably mount to the rim of a bowl or the like. The embodiment of  FIG. 8  may be readily mounted with the cavity of the spoon bowl facing the inside of the dish to which it is mounted. Alternatively, a mount member may descend from a point toward the rear of the spoon head. 
         [0039]    Many variations of both the chopstick engaging structure and the rim stowage structure are possible without departing from the present invention. The rim stowage structure need not be continuous with the chopstick tip engaging structure, and in some embodiments they may be configured in different locations on the spoon head. The rim stowage structure may be on the top, bottom, anterior, posterior or side of the spoon head; and the point of contact with the rim of the dish may be above or below the area(s) which are grasped by chopsticks. Some embodiments may have a groove formed into the bottom of the spoon head which can fit upon the rim of a bowl. These and other variations all allow the utensil to conveniently rest upon or hang from the rim of a bowl, cup or other open-top container in a position that is easily accessible to chopsticks. The spoon head may also be configured to hand from a complementary caddy or nest in a complementary stand, etc. 
         [0040]    Some embodiments of the spoon head may be capable of stacking or nesting with each other. 
         [0041]    A spoon head in accordance with the present invention ( 100 , 200 , 300 , 400 , 500 , etc.) may be configured to float. Flotation may be achieved by constructing the spoon head out of a material that floats (or adding air, increasing the buoyancy of the material) or by attaching a float to the spoon head. 
         [0042]    Referring to  FIGS. 9-10 , perspective views of another embodiment of a spoon head  500  in accordance with the present invention is shown. Spoon head  500  includes many features of the other spoon heads herein—bowl  510 , CTESs  518 , 519 , lips  561 —yet also includes float  560 . The float  560  or the use of buoyant material for the construction of spoon head  500  not only prevents the spoon head from sinking (and possibly disappearing), they also function as a “stowage” arrangement permitting the spoon head to float while not in the immediate use, i.e., eliminating the need for the mounting structure  140 ,  240 , etc. 
         [0043]    Furthermore, float  560 , or the manner of fabricating spoon head  500  (air injected into material or a weight added for ballast, etc.) may be positioned such that the spoon head floats in a position which makes the CTES readily accessible by a user when they try to engage the CTESs with their chopsticks. Alternatively, the material or manufacturing process of the spoon head may be such as to create less dense and more dense regions that serve to move or “right” the spoon head to a desired position in liquid. 
         [0044]    Turning to the CTESs, these structures may include a lip or protrusion (that extends laterally from the centerline (e.g.,  130  of  FIG. 1 ) a distance greater than a surface immediately adjacent and closer to the spoon (e.g., guides  431 , 432  of  FIG. 8 ). This lip  161 , 261 , 361 ,  461 , 561  in concert with another point closer to the spoon bowl prevents the spoon head from slipping out, rotating forward and downward. For example, in  FIG. 4 , each chopstick tip contacts lip  261  and the back side of bowl  210 . 
         [0045]    The spoon head can be used for any purpose for which a spoon is normally used, and is especially useful for eating meals that may alternately require both spoon and chopsticks. This spoon head eliminates the need to set down the chopsticks (or the spoon) when using a spoon for both soup and non-soup dishes (or, alternately, the need to hold chopsticks in one hand and spoon in the other). Further, it relieves problems such as a spoon accidentally becoming entirely submerged in soup, the handle of a conventional spoon getting in the way, the user being unable to lift and drink directly from a bowl, and other common inconveniences. 
         [0046]    While the invention has been described in connection with specific embodiments thereof, it will be understood that it is capable of further modification, and this application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention following, in general, the principles of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains and as may be applied to the essential features hereinbefore set forth, and as fall within the scope of the invention and the limits of the appended claims.