FOLDABLE EATING UTENSIL

A foldable eating utensil includes a cutlery head, a first rod, and a second rod that are sequentially connected. A neck of the cutlery head connected to the first rod has a restricting portion corresponding to the neck. When the second rod is folded toward the first rod, the second rod is restricted by the restricting portion from leaving the first rod. When the cutlery head is folded toward the compacted first and second rods, the cutlery head is restricted by the same restricting portion for retaining the second rod. Since the second rod is restricted by the restricting portion, during a process of folding the compacted first and second rods toward the cutlery head by an automatic machine, the work of the automatic machine is not be hindered by the second rod leaving the first rod. Therefore, the foldable eating utensil is suitable for automated packaging.

BACKGROUND

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates generally to a foldable utensil, and more particularly to a foldable eating utensil.

Description of Related Art

A conventional beverage lid with cutlery is disclosed in Taiwan patent application No. 084211279 “Structure of Lid with spoon”, wherein an annular wall formed by protruding away from a circumference of a bottom plate of the lid, and positioning pistons, engaging plates, and hooking plates are disposed on and between the bottom plate of the lid and the annular wall. The positioning pistons, the engaging plates, and the hooking plates are adapted to be engaged with the folded spoon. The user could simply take out the folded spoon by poking folded spoon on the lid.

The folded spoon is folded manually. The spoon is manually folded, and then locking the folded spoon by the positioning pistons, engaging plates, and the hooking plates of the lid. The conventional foldable spoon is difficult to be automatically folded by a machine, because during a process of folding each part of the foldable spoon, the folded parts may return back to hinder the operation of the automated folding process, even stuck the operation of the automatic machine. Additionally, during the process of folding the spoon and engaging the folded spoon with the lid manually, the foldable spoon is probably polluted, thereby leading to sanitary problems.

BRIEF SUMMARY

In view of the above, in some embodiments, an objective of the present disclosure is to provide a foldable eating utensil, the restricting portion could retain different parts of the foldable eating utensil in a folded position, so that the foldable eating utensil becomes suitable for being automatically folded by an automated machine instead of manual folding, thereby saving the manpower and avoiding the sanitary issue of packing.

The present inventive subject matter provides a foldable eating utensil including a cutlery head, a first rod, and a second rod, which are sequentially connected in a first direction, which is defined as a direction from a front end to a rear end of the foldable eating utensil. The cutlery head includes a functional portion and a neck, wherein the neck extends in the first direction from the functional portion. A front end of the first rod is foldably connected to a rear end of the neck. A section of the first rod, where the first rod is overlapped with the neck of the cutlery head when the cutlery head is folded toward the first rod, has a restricting portion. A front end of the second rod is foldably connected to a rear end of the first rod. When the second rod is folded toward the first rod, the second rod is restricted by the restricting portion from moving away from the first rod, thereby keeping the first rod and the second rod compacted. When the cutlery head is folded toward the first rod and the second rod that are compacted, the neck of the cutlery head is restricted by the same restricting portion for restricting the second rod, thereby keeping the foldable eating utensil in a compacted state.

With such design, when the second rod and the first rod are folded, the second rod is restricted by the restricting portion at the folded position. After that, during a process of folding the cutlery head toward the second rod and the first rod that are compacted, the second rod is not going to hinder or stuck the folding process because the second rod is not disengaged from the restricting portion of the first rod. Thus, the foldable eating utensil is suitable for automatically folding and mounting into the lid. Compared to the traditional foldable spoon that needs for folding manually, the foldable eating utensil of the present disclosure could avoid sanitary issues due to manual folding.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As illustrated inFIG.1toFIG.6C, a foldable eating utensil100of a first embodiment is a cutlery that has a front end, a rear end, a right side, and a left side, wherein the cutlery is defined to have two directions, including a first direction D1 and a second direction D2. The first direction is defined to extend from the front end to the rear end, and the second direction D2 is defined to extend from the left side to the right side. The foldable eating utensil100includes a cutlery head10, a first rod20, and a second rod30sequentially connected in the first direction D1.

The cutlery head10includes a functional portion12and a neck14extending in the first direction D1 from the functional portion12. In the first embodiment, the functional portion12is a spoon head, and a top side of the functional portion12forms a bowl16. The bowl16extends in the first direction D1 to an inner side of the neck14to form a groove161in the inner side of the neck14.

The first rod20is a straight rod that extends in the first direction D1, wherein a front end of the first rod20is foldably connected to a rear end of the neck14by means of hinge. A first hinge joint21is located between the front end of the first rod20and the neck14, wherein a bottom side of the neck14and the front end of the first rod20jointly form a first buckle assembly22. The first buckle assembly22includes an inserting tab221formed at the bottom side of the neck14and an engaged loop222formed at the front end of the first rod20. When the first rod20and the cutlery head10is extended (unfolded), the inserting tab221is engaged with the engaged loop222to position the cutlery head10, namely retaining the cutlery head10to be extended. By simply applying force to either the first rod20or the cutlery head10, the first buckle assembly22could be unlocked to allow the inserting tab221to be disengaged from the engaged loop222, so that the first rod20could be folded to rotate about the first hinge joint21to be aligned with the cutlery head10. In the current embodiment, a section of the first rod20, where the first rod20is overlapped with the neck14of the cutlery head10when the cutlery head10is folded to be aligned with the first rod20, has a restricting portion24.

The second rod30is a straight rod that extends in the first direction D1, wherein a front end of the second rod30is foldably connected to a rear end of the first rod20by means of hinge. A second hinge joint31is located between the rear end of the first rod20and the front end of the second rod30, wherein a bottom side of the rear end of the first rod20and the front end of the second rod30jointly form a second buckle assembly32. The second buckle assembly32includes an engaged recess321formed at the bottom side of the rear end of the first rod20and the engaging block322formed at the front end of the second rod30. When the second rod30and the first rod20are extended (unfolded), the engaging block322is engaged with the engaged recess321to position the second rod30, namely retaining the first rod20and the second rod30in a line. By simply applying force to either the first rod20or the second rod30, the second buckle assembly32could be unlocked to allow the engaging block322to be disengaged from the second hinge joint31

In the first embodiment, a length of the second rod30in the first direction D1 is greater than a length between the second hinge joint31and the restricting portion24, and is smaller than a length of the first rod20in the first direction D1. When the second rod30and the first rod20are folded, the second rod30is restricted by the restricting portion24from returning back, thereby remaining compact. After that, when the cutlery head10is folded to be aligned with the compacted first rod20and the second rod30, the position of the neck14of the cutlery head10corresponds to the position of the restricting portion24, so that the neck14of the cutlery head10is restricted by the restricting portion24from moving away, thereby compacting the cutlery head10with the first rod20and the second rod30.

In the first embodiment, when the cutlery head10, the first rod20, and the second rod30are compacted, the bowl16covers and receives the second rod30, shown inFIG.6BandFIG.6C. At this time, the rear end of the second rod30is received in the groove161of the neck14.

As illustrated inFIG.2toFIG.4, in the first embodiment, a top surface of the first rod20and a top surface of the second rod30are rectangular flat surfaces extending along the first direction D1. The neck14of the cutlery head10has two neck peripheries141at the right and left sides of a top edge of the groove161of the neck14. The top surface of the first rod20has two first edges26at the right and left sides. The top surface of the second rod30has two second edges36at the right and left sides. When the foldable eating utensil100is extended, each of the neck peripheries141is aligned with one of the first edges26and one of the second edges36. When the second rod30and the first rod20are folded, a section of the second rod30that contacts with the restricting portion24is defined as an engaging section A.

The restricting portion24of the first embodiment includes two lateral hooks241, wherein each of two lateral hooks241is symmetrically disposed on one of the two first edges26of the first rod20along the first direction D1. The foldable eating utensil100in the current embodiment is manufactured by plastic injection molding. The cutlery head10, the first rod20, and the second rod30are flexible to a certain degree. Each of the lateral hooks241are elastic bodies that could be bent. An interior side of a top portion of each of the lateral hooks241has a protrusion242. At least a portion of each of the protrusions242extends medially to exceed one of the first edges26. More specifically, each of the protrusions242is located at a position where each of the protrusions242of the restricting portion24could be pushed by one of the second edges36of the second rod30during a process of folding the second rod30to be aligned with the first rod20, and each of the protrusions242is located at the position where each of the protrusions242of the restricting portion24could be pushed by one of the neck peripheries141of the cutlery head10during a process of folding the cutlery head10to be aligned with the first rod20. With such design, the restricting portion24could be adapted to hook the second rod30and the neck14of the cutlery head10that are folded to align with the first rod20, thereby keeping the foldable eating utensil100in a compacted state.

As illustrated inFIG.6AtoFIG.6C, when the foldable eating utensil100is manufactured by plastic injection molding, the cutlery head10, the first rod20, and the second rod30are approximately presented in a U-shaped after the foldable eating utensil100is removed from a mold of plastic injection. After that, the cutlery head10is clamped by an automatic machine (e.g. jig), the second rod30is pushed by the robotic arm of the automatic machine to be folded to align with the first rod20. As illustrated inFIG.2toFIG.4, during a process of folding, the two second edges36of the second rod30abuts against the two protrusions242to push the two lateral hooks241moving laterally. The two lateral hooks241return back to the original position after the second rod30passing through the two protrusions242of the two lateral hooks241. At this time, the two lateral hooks241restrict the second rod30by the two protrusions242from leaving away from the first rod20. Then, another robotic arm of the automatic machine pushes the first rod20and the second rod30that are compacted to move toward the cutlery head10. When the two neck peripheries141of the cutlery head10abuts against the two protrusions242, the two lateral hooks241are moved laterally. After the neck14is engaged by the two lateral hooks241(namely, passing through the two protrusions242), the lateral hooks241return back to the original position. At the time, the two lateral hooks241fix a position of the neck14by the two protrusion242, so that the cutlery head10could not leave away from the first rod20, thereby keeping the foldable eating utensil100in the compacted state.

In the first embodiment, the second rod30and the cutlery head10are folded sequentially and restricted by the same restricting portion24on the first rod20, so that the second rod30and the first rod20could not leave from the first rod20due to the restriction of the restricting portion24, thereby keeping the foldable eating utensil100in the compacted state. As a result, after the second rod30is folded, the second rod30is restricted by the restricting portion24from returning, so that the second rod30will not affect or hinder a process of compacting the first rod20and the cutlery head10by the automatic machine. Thus, the automatic machine could work smoothly. With such design, the foldable eating utensil100is suitable for automatically producing and packaging, which could save manpower and avoid the sanitary problem of manual processing.

In the first embodiment, the functional portion12is a spoon head. In other embodiments, the functional portion12could be fork head. As illustrated inFIG.7, the foldable eating utensil100ofFIG.7includes the cutlery head10, the first rod20, and the second rod30. The cutlery head10includes the functional portion12and the neck14extending in the first direction D1 from the functional portion12. In the second embodiment, the functional portion12is a fork head, and a top side of the functional portion12forms a bowl16. The bowl16extends in the first direction D1 to an inner side of the neck14to form the groove161in the inner side of the neck14.

The first rod20is a straight rod that extends in the first direction D1, wherein the front end of the first rod20is foldably connected to the rear end of the neck14by means of hinge. The first hinge joint21is located between the front end of the first rod20and the neck14, wherein the bottom side of the neck14is interlockably connected to the front end of the first rod20. The section of the first rod20, where the first rod20is overlapped with the neck14of the cutlery head10when the cutlery head10is folded to be aligned with the first rod20, has the restricting portion24. The restricting portion24of the first embodiment is the same as the restricting portion24of the second embodiment. The second rod30is a straight rod that extends in the first direction D1, wherein the front end of the second rod30is foldably connected to the rear end of the first rod20by means of hinge. The second hinge joint31is located between the rear end of the first rod20and the front end of the second rod30, wherein the bottom side of the rear end of the first rod20is interlockably connected to the front end of the second rod30.

The length of the second rod30in the first direction D1 is greater than a length between the second hinge joint31and the restricting portion24, and is smaller than the length of the first rod20in the first direction D1. When the second rod30and the first rod20are folded, the second rod30is restricted by the restricting portion24from returning back, thereby remaining compact. After that, when the cutlery head10is folded to be aligned with the compacted first rod20and the second rod30, the position of the neck14of the cutlery head10corresponds to the position of the restricting portion24, so that the neck14of the cutlery head10is restricted by the same restricting portion24which restricts the second rod30. When the cutlery head10, the first rod20, and the second rod30are compacted, the bowl16covers and receives the second rod30. At this time, the rear end of the second rod30is received in the groove161of the neck14.

As illustrated inFIG.8, a foldable eating utensil100of a third embodiment is almost the same as the foldable eating utensil of the first embodiment, except that the restricting portion24of the third embodiment merely includes one lateral hook241. In the third embodiment, the lateral hook241is disposed on one of the two first edges26of the first rod20, wherein the lateral hook241extends upwardly from the first edges26, and an interior side of a top portion of the lateral hook241has a protrusion242.

In the third embodiment, the protrusion242is located at a position where the protrusion242of the restricting portion24could be pushed by the corresponding one of the second edges36of the second rod30during a process of folding the second rod30to be aligned with the first rod20. After the lateral hook241returns back to the original position, a position of the second rod30is restricted by the protrusion242, so that the second rod30could not leave from the first rod20. Simultaneously, the protrusion242is located at the position the protrusion242of the restricting portion24could be pushed by the corresponding one of the neck peripheries141of the cutlery head10during a process of folding the cutlery head10to be aligned with the first rod20. When the corresponding one of the neck peripheries141of the cutlery head10abuts against the protrusion242, the lateral hook241is pushed to move laterally. After the lateral hook241returns to the original position, the protrusion242fixes the position of the neck14, so that the cutlery head10is compacted with the first rod20and could not leave away from the first rod20. The function of the lateral hooks241and the protrusion242, which are adapted to lock the second rod30and the neck14of the cutlery head10, recited in the first embodiment and the second embodiment are the same as that of the restricting portion24of the third embodiment.

As illustrated inFIG.9, a foldable eating utensil100of a fourth embodiment is almost the same as the foldable eating utensil100of the first embodiment, except a position of the lateral hooks241of the restricting portion24in the fourth embodiment are arranged in a staggered manner. Each of the two lateral hooks241is disposed on one of the two first edges26in a staggered manner, wherein one position of the two lateral hooks241is closer to the cutlery head10than the other one. A staggered distance between the two lateral hooks241is shorter than a length of the engaging section A in the first direction D1. Each of the lateral hooks241extends upward from one of the first edges26. The interior side of the top portion of each of the lateral hooks241has a protrusion242.

In the fourth embodiment, each of the protrusions242is located at a position where each of the protrusions242is pushed by one of the second edges36of the second rod30during a process that the second rod30is folded to be aligned with the first rod20. When each of the second edges36of the second rod30abuts against one of the protrusions242of one of the lateral hooks241, the lateral hooks241are pushed to move laterally. After each of the lateral hooks241returns back to the original position, each of the protrusions242restricts the second rod30from moving away from the first rod20. Simultaneously, each of the protrusions242is located at the position where each of the protrusions242of the restricting portion24could be pushed by one of the neck peripheries141of the cutlery head10during a process of folding the cutlery head10to be aligned with the first rod20. When each of the neck peripheries141of the cutlery head10abuts against one of the protrusions245of one of the lateral hooks241, the lateral hooks241is pushed to move laterally. After each of the lateral hooks241returns back to the original position, each of the protrusions242restricts the neck14of the cutlery head10from moving away from the first rod20, thereby keeping the foldable eating utensil100in a compacted state. As mentioned above, the function of each of the lateral hooks241and the protrusions242thereof, which are adapted to jointly and sequentially lock the second rod30and the neck14of the cutlery head10, recited in the first embodiment and the second embodiment are the same as that of the restricting portion24of the fourth embodiment.

As illustrated inFIG.10toFIG.14, a foldable eating utensil100of a fifth embodiment is almost the same as the foldable eating utensil100of the first embodiment, except the two tilted lateral hooks244, which is disposed on each of the two first edges26of the first rod20, extends upwards and are tilted medially. In the fifth embodiment, each of the tilted lateral hooks244is bendable and flexible, wherein a top portion of each of the tilted lateral hooks244has a protrusion245. More specifically, a tilted angle between each of the tilted lateral hooks244and an imaginary line B, which is defined to be perpendicular to the top surface of the first rod20, is smaller than and equal to 3 degrees. Each of the protrusion245is adapted to sequentially lock the second rod30and the neck14of the cutlery head10.

As illustrated inFIG.14, each of the protrusions245is located at a position where each of the protrusions245of the restricting portion24could be pushed by one of the second edges36of the second rod30during a process of folding the second rod30to be aligned with the first rod20. When each of the second edges36of the second rod30abuts against the protrusion245of one of the tilted lateral hooks244, the tilted lateral hooks244is pushed to move laterally. After the second rod30enters into a space between the two tilted lateral hooks244(namely passing through the two protrusions245), the tilted lateral hooks244return back to the original position. At the time, each of the protrusions245restricts the second rod30from moving away from the first rod20. Simultaneously, each of the protrusions245is located at the position where each of the protrusions245of the restricting portion24could be pushed by one of the neck peripheries141of the cutlery head10during a process of folding the cutlery head10to be aligned with the first rod20. When the two neck peripheries141of the cutlery head10abuts against the two protrusions245, the two tilted lateral hooks244are pushed by the two neck peripheries141to move laterally. After the neck14enters into a space between the two tilted lateral hooks244(namely passing through the two protrusions245), the tilted lateral hooks244return back to the original position. At the time, each of the protrusions245restricts the neck14from moving away from the first rod20. When the cutlery head10is compacted with the first rod20and the second rod30of the foldable eating utensil100, the bowl16covers and receives the second rod30, wherein the rear end of the second rod30is received in the groove161.

Similar to the foldable eating utensil100of the first embodiment, since the second rod30could be retained by the two tilted lateral hooks244of the fifth embodiment right after the second rod30is folded to align with the first rod20, the second rod30could not block or hinder the first rod20to be folded toward the cutlery head10. Besides, after the cutlery head10, the first rod20, and the second rod30are compacted, the neck14could be retained by the tilted lateral hooks244as well. With such design, the foldable eating utensil100of the fifth embodiment could be smoothly folded by the automatic machine, which could save the manpower and avoid the sanitary problem caused by manual folding.

As illustrated inFIG.15, a foldable eating utensil100of a sixth embodiment is almost the same as the foldable eating utensil100of the fifth embodiment, except the restricting portion24of the sixth embodiment includes merely one tilted lateral hook244. The tilted lateral hook244of the sixth embodiment is disposed on one of the two first edges26of the first rod20, wherein the tilted lateral hook244extends upwardly from the first edges26and is tilted medially, and an interior side of a top portion of the tilted lateral hook244has a protrusion245.

In the sixth embodiment, the protrusion245is located at a position where the protrusion245of the restricting portion24could be pushed by the corresponding one of the second edges36of the second rod30during a process of folding the second rod30toward the first rod20. When the second edge36of the second rod30abuts against the protrusion245of the tilted lateral hook244, the tilted lateral hook244is pushed to move laterally. After the tilted lateral hook244returns back to the original position, the protrusion245restricts the second rod30from moving away from the first rod20. Simultaneously, the protrusion245is located at the position where the protrusion245of the restricting portion24could be pushed by the corresponding one of the neck peripheries141of the cutlery head10during a process of folding the first rod20toward the cutlery head10. When the corresponding one of the neck peripheries141of the cutlery head10abuts against the protrusion245, the tilted lateral hook244is pushed by the two neck peripheries141to move laterally. After the tilted lateral hooks244return back to the original position, each of the protrusions245restricts the neck14from moving away from the first rod20. The function of the tilted lateral hook244and the protrusion245, which is adapted to locking the second rod30and the neck14of the cutlery head10, mentioned in the fifth embodiment is the same as that of the sixth embodiment.

As illustrated inFIG.16, a foldable eating utensil100of a seventh embodiment is almost the same as that of the fifth embodiment, except the two tilted lateral hooks244of the restricting portion24of the seventh embodiment are arranged in a staggered manner. Each of the two tilted lateral hooks244is disposed on one of the two first edges26in a staggered manner, wherein one position of the two tilted lateral hooks244is closer to the cutlery head10than the other one. A staggered distance between the two tilted lateral hooks244is shorter than a length of the engaging section A in the first direction D1. Each of the tilted lateral hooks244extends upward from one of the first edges26. The interior side of the top portion of each of the tilted lateral hooks244has a protrusion245.

In the seventh embodiment, each of the protrusions245is located at a position where each of the protrusions245is pushed by one of the second edges36of the second rod30during a process that the second rod30is folded toward the first rod20. When each of the second edges36of the second rod30abuts against one of the protrusions245of one of the tilted lateral hooks244, the tilted lateral hooks244are pushed to move laterally. After each of the tilted lateral hooks244returns back to the original position, each of the protrusions242restricts the second rod30from moving away from the first rod20. Simultaneously, each of the protrusions245is located at the position where each of the protrusions245could be pushed by one of the neck peripheries141of the cutlery head10during a process of folding the cutlery head10toward the first rod20. When each of the neck peripheries141of the cutlery head10abuts against one of the protrusions245of one of the lateral hooks241, the lateral hooks241is pushed to move laterally. After each of the lateral hooks244returns back to the original position, each of the protrusions245restricts the neck14of the cutlery head10from moving away from the first rod20, thereby keeping the foldable eating utensil100in a compacted state. As mentioned above, the function of each of the lateral hooks244and the protrusions245thereof, which are adapted to jointly and sequentially lock the second rod30and the neck14of the cutlery head10, recited in the fifth embodiment is the same as that of the restricting portion24of the seventh embodiment.

A foldable eating utensil100of an eighth embodiment is almost the same as that of one of the first embodiment to the seventh embodiment, except that a top end of each of the lateral hooks241or the tilted lateral hooks244of the restricting portion24on the first rod20of the eighth embodiment has a curved surface243. As illustrated inFIG.17toFIG.22, the restricting portion of the eighth embodiment includes two lateral hooks241as an example.

In the eighth embodiment, the restricting portion24of the foldable eating utensil100is adapted to lock the second rod30and the neck14of the cutlery head10as well, and the foldable eating utensil100is manufactured by plastic injection molding. The cutlery head10, the first rod20, and the second rod30are flexible and elastic to a certain degree. The restricting portion24is located at a section of the first rod20, where the section of the first rod20is overlapped with the neck14of the cutlery head10when the cutlery head10is folded to be aligned with the first rod20. The restricting portion24includes the two lateral hooks241, which are arranged symmetrically along the first direction D1 and extend upward from the two first edges26of the first rod20. Each of the lateral hooks241is flexible, wherein the top end of each of the lateral hooks241has a curved surface243.

As illustrated inFIG.20toFIG.22, when the second rod30is folded toward the first rod20, a section of the second rod30that contacts the restricting portion24is defined as the engaging section A. A distance d between the two second edges36within the engaging section A is greater than a distance d1between the interior sides of the two lateral hooks241. Thus, when the second rod30is folded toward the first rod20to rotate about the second hinge joint31, each of the two second edges36could smoothly slide along the curved surface243of one of the lateral hooks241to allow the second rod30to enter into and be locked within the space between the two lateral hooks241. A distance d2between the two neck peripheries141is greater than the distance d between the two second edges36in the engaging section A. Thus, when the cutlery head10is folded toward the first rod20and the second rod30, which are compacted, to rotate about the first hinge joint21, the neck peripheries141could smoothly slide along the two curved surfaces243of the lateral hooks241, which are urged by the second rod30to slightly expand, to allow the neck14to enter into and be locked within the space between the two lateral hooks241. When the cutlery head10is folded toward the first rod20and the second rod30that are compacted, the bowl16covers and receives the second rod30, and the rear end of the second rod30is received in the groove161of the cutlery head10. Therefore, the foldable eating utensil100of the eighth embodiment shown inFIG.17toFIG.22is almost the same as that of the first embodiment, except for the structure of the restricting portion24.

As illustrated inFIG.23toFIG.29, a foldable eating utensil100of a ninth embodiment is almost the same as that of one of the first embodiment to the eighth embodiment, except the structure of the restricting portion24for engaging the second rod30and the neck14of the cutlery head10. In the ninth embodiment, the foldable eating utensil100is manufactured by plastic injection molding. The cutlery head10, the first rod20, and the second rod30are flexible to a certain degree. The restricting portion24is disposed on a section of the first rod20, where the first rod20is overlapped with the neck14of the cutlery head10when the cutlery head10is folded toward the first rod20. A length L1of the second rod30is equal to a length L2between the second hinge joint31and the restricting portion24.

In the ninth embodiment, the restricting portion24is a retainer246in fin-shaped formed on the top surface of the first rod20. The retainer246has a retaining surface247facing toward the rear end. The retainer246has a guiding surface248on the top thereof. The retainer246has a convex surface249, wherein a height of the convex surface249is gradually reduced in a direction from the top to a front end of the retainer246. The neck14of the cutlery head10has a slit142, wherein a shape of the slit142complementarily matches with a shape of the retainer246. A width d3of the retainer246in the second direction D2 is greater than a width d4of the slit142in the second direction D2. Each of the right and left sides of the top of the retainer246has a chamfer. As illustrated inFIG.27toFIG.29, during a process of folding the second rod30toward the first rod20, the rear end of the second rod30could slide along the guiding surface248and then move downward to urge the retaining surface247, thereby keeping the second rod30in a compacted state. When the cutlery head10is folded toward the first rod20and the second rod30that are compacted, the retainer246is inserted into the slit142to position and restrict the cutlery head10from moving away from the first rod20. When the cutlery head10, the first rod20, and the second rod30are compacted, the bowl16of the cutlery head10covers and receives the second rod30, the rear end of the second rod30is received in the groove161.

While several inventive embodiments have been described and illustrated herein, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily envision a variety of other means and/or structures for performing the function and/or obtaining the results and/or one or more of the advantages described herein, and each of such variations and/or modifications is deemed to be within the scope of the inventive embodiments described herein.