Utensil Attachment

A utensil attachment. The utensil attachment includes a base having an upper side and a lower side. A housing is affixed to the upper side of the base, and a fastener is affixed to the lower side of the base. A power supply is operably connected to a motion sensor and an audio playback mechanism, wherein the audio playback mechanism includes a speaker disposed on the housing. The motion sensor is configured to detect movement of the housing, and the audio playback mechanism is configured to activate and emit sound through the speaker if the motion sensor detects no motion for a predetermined amount of time. The device can be secured to a child's eating utensil, whereby the sounds emitted by the speaker provide encouragement the child to eat their food.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to devices that are attachable to eating utensils. More specifically, the present invention provides a sound-emitting utensil attachment that can be removably secured to a child's eating utensil and utilized to encourage the child to eat their food.

It is important for children to eat regular meals in order to advance proper growth and development. However, some children can become easily distracted and stop eating before they have consumed enough food. Additionally, children can often be picky or stubborn eaters. Many times, when a parent or guardian tries to convince a child to eat, the child refuses to do so. It can be difficult to encourage a child to eat with words of encouragement alone. Further, a parent or guardian has to spend time encouraging the child to eat rather than consuming their own food, which can be frustrating to the parent and guardian. Food that is not consumed by a child is often thrown away, which is undesirably wasteful and costly. Some devices exist that are utilized to monitor food intake, such as by counting a number of bites or illuminating portions of a food plate. However, these devices are designed to encourage limiting of food intake, and do not provide encouragement for children to consume their food. In order to address these concerns, the present invention provides a utensil attachment that automatically emits encouraging sounds and messages to encourage a child to eat their food.

In light of the devices disclosed in the known art, it is submitted that the present invention substantially diverges in design elements from the prior art and consequently it is clear that there is a needed in the art for an improvement to existing utensil attachments and eating encouragement devices. In this regard the present invention substantially fulfills these needs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of utensil attachments now present in the known art, the present invention provides a utensil attachment wherein the same can be utilized for providing convenience for the user when encouraging a child to consume an adequate amount of food. The utensil attachment includes a base having an upper side and a lower side. A housing is affixed to the upper side of the base, and a fastener is affixed to the lower side of the base. A power supply is operably connected to a motion sensor and an audio playback mechanism, wherein the audio playback mechanism includes a speaker disposed on the housing. The motion sensor is configured to detect movement of the housing, and the audio playback mechanism is configured to activate and emit sound through the speaker if the motion sensor detects no motion for a predetermined amount of time.

One object of the present invention is to provide a utensil attachment that can be removably secured to various types of utensils.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a utensil attachment including a speaker that automatically emits encouraging sounds and methods in order to encourage children to consume an adequate amount of food.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of the utensil attachment. For the purposes of presenting a brief and clear description of the present invention, the preferred embodiment will be discussed as used for encouraging a child to consume an adequate amount of food. The figures are intended for representative purposes only and should not be considered to be limiting in any respect.

Referring now toFIG. 1, there is shown a perspective view of a utensil attachment according to the present invention. The utensil attachment10includes a base12having a housing11affixed to an upper side15thereof. In the shown embodiment, the base12is cylindrical. However, the base12can include alternate shapes, such as cubical, spherical, or cubical, in alternate embodiments. In the shown embodiment, the housing11is adapted to resemble a bird and includes a pair of legs, a beak, and a pair of wings. However, the housing11can have any ornamental appearance as desired and is not limited to a shape resembling a bird. In some embodiments, the housing11is configure such that the center of gravity of the housing11is positioned over a central portion of the base12, so as to provide additional structural stability to the utensil attachment10.

A speaker13is disposed on the housing11and is configured to emit sound therefrom. In the shown embodiment, the speaker13is disposed centrally on a forward facing portion of the housing, such that the speaker is oriented toward the individual as they use the utensil attachment10. A plurality of control buttons14are disposed on the base12for controlling the various electronic components of the utensil attachment10. In alternate embodiments, the controls buttons14are disposed on the housing11. Further, in the shown embodiment, an upper portion of the base12includes a perimeter that is less than a perimeter of a lower portion of the base, such that the upper portion of the base12forms a pedestal to which the housing11is affixed, providing greater structural support to the housing11.

Referring now toFIGS. 2 and 3, there is shown a side view of a utensil attachment according to the present invention being removably secured to an eating utensil and a diagram of the electronic components of a utensil attachment according to the present invention, respectively. A fastener is affixed to a lower side of the base12for securing the utensil attachment10to the upper end41of an eating utensil40. In the shown embodiment, the fastener is a clip including a pair of retaining members16. Each retaining member16is attached to a perimeter edge of the base12. The retaining members16are biased toward one another, allowing the retaining members16to frictionally engage the eating utensil40. The retaining members16is configured to secure the housing11to any typical flatware utensil, such as a fork, knife, spoon, or the like.

The inner surfaces of the retaining members16contact the front face42and the rear face43of the utensil40when secured thereto. Each retaining member16includes an upper end17affixed to the base12and a lower end18that grips the utensil40. In the shown embodiment, the lower ends18of the retaining members16include a bulbous tip that engages each side of the utensil. The bulbous tip of the retaining members16may be grasped by a user to facilitating easy attachment and detachment of the device to and from a utensil40.

The electronic components of the utensil attachment10may be disposed within the housing11or within the base12. The utensil attachment includes a power supply31operably connected to a motion sensor33and an audio playback mechanism32. In one embodiment, the power supply31comprises a removable, replaceable battery. In an alternate embodiment, the power supply31comprises a rechargeable battery. The audio playback mechanism32includes various encouraging sounds and phrases stored thereon and is configured to emit the stored audio through the speaker34.

The motion sensor33is configured to detect movement of the housing11. The motion sensor33is operably connected to the audio playback mechanism32and speaker34. If the motion sensor33does not detect motion of the housing11for a certain time interval, the audio playback mechanism32is configured to automatically emit. In some embodiments, the controls14can be utilized to manually control various electronic components. For example, the control14can be configured to turn the device on and off for selectively activating or deactivating the motion sensor33. Additionally, the control14may be configured to selectively activate the audio playback mechanism32, allowing a parent or guardian to manually emit an encouraging sound from the device.

In use, the housing11can be secured to a utensil40, and the utensil40given to a child. The child can use the utensil40to eat as normal. When activated, the motion sensor33continuously monitors for motion of the housing11. If the child puts the utensil40down, or if the utensil40is otherwise motionless for a predetermined amount of time, the audio playback mechanism32emits an encouraging sound of phrase in order to encourage the child to resume eating. In this way, the utensil attachment10automatically encourages a child to consume an adequate amount of food, allowing the parent or guardian to complete other tasks while the child is eating without having to continuously monitor whether the child is eating an adequate amount of food.