Utensil with both spoon and straw functions

A combination spoon and straw utensil for consuming a comestible wherein the functions of sucking and spooning are distinct. The straw section features an improved aspiration intake port which is flared and contoured to improve fluid communication with the bottommost surface of a vessel containing a comestible. A barrier, isolating the functions of spooning and sucking, prevents inadvertent flow of a liquid from the spoon cavity into and through the spoon section during the function of spooning.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates generally to eating utensils, and more 
particularly, to a utensil having both spoon and straw functions. 
Certain comestibles, such as ice cream sodas and the like, are most 
suitably consumed with a utensil that combines the functions of spooning, 
for transporting solid portions of the food product, and aspirating, for 
consuming the liquid portion of the comestible. Such spoon and straw 
combinations have been previously contemplated, however, these designs 
intermingle the functions of spooning and drinking by providing fluid 
communication between the two functions. 
For example, both U.S. Pat. No. 674,446 to Marx and U.S. Pat. No. DES 
259,533 to Frodsham illustrate a spoon/straw combination having a fluid 
intake orifice of a straw interposed within a bowl of the spoon section. A 
disadvantage of such a design is the inability to separate spooning and 
aspirating functions. Thus, fluid may enter the straw section while 
spooning, and inadvertently pass through the straw, exiting the aspiration 
port of the straw, resulting in spillage of the fluid. Furthermore, 
neither the Marx nor Frodsham structures permit aspiration of fluid unless 
the fluid is capable of being scooped into the bowl of the spoon section. 
U.S. Pat. No. DES 290,328 to Imotani also illustrates a spoon and straw 
combination. The '328 Imotani reference illustrates a spoon cavity 
attached to a straw member by means of two extension arms from the spoon 
cavity section. The straw intake orifice is situated above and proximate 
to the spoon cavity with no barrier to prevent fluid communication between 
the two operable sections. The device disclosed in the Imotani '328 
reference provides fluid communication between a bowl of the spoon section 
and an intake port of the straw section. Thus, there is no separation of 
the spooning and aspirating functions. Furthermore, the device disclosed 
in the '328 Imotani reference has a further disadvantage that the straw 
intake orifice is necessarily elevated above the bottom of a comestible 
containing vessel by the height of the spoon cavity section. This prevents 
the straw intake orifice from effectively communicating with the bottom of 
the vessel, inhibiting the user of the device from drawing fluid from the 
bottom portion of the vessel. 
U.S. Pat. No. DES 370,587 to Lynch illustrates an ornamental design for a 
spoon and straw combination. In the Lynch reference the straw section 
terminates at the base of the spoon cavity and appears to have an intake 
port at the point of abutment. As with the previous references, the 
location of the straw orifice allows direct fluid communication between 
the straw and spoon functions. 
The present invention overcomes shortcomings found in the prior an while 
providing a utensil which combines the functions of drinking and spooning. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention provides a utensil especially well suited for 
consuming a comestible having both fluid and solid components. The utensil 
includes a spoon cavity attached by a junction to a tubular member. The 
tubular member has the dual functions of providing a drinking tube for 
consuming a fluid, as well as providing a handle to support the spoon 
cavity. The spoon cavity is suitable for scooping and transporting the 
solid portion of the comestible from a vessel to the mouth of the person 
using the utensil. The junction, which joins the spoon and straw sections, 
also provides a barrier which prevents fluid communication directly 
between the two functions. 
In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the junction and 
spoon cavity are molded as a single piece wherein the junction is formed 
as a tubular extension projecting from the exterior service of the spoon 
cavity to receive the tubular member. The tubular member fits within this 
tubular extension to facilitate attachment. Alternatively, the tubular 
extension may have an outside diameter selected to fit within the tubular 
member to facilitate attachment. The junction can be further formed having 
an aspiration intake port which is flared and contoured to more 
effectively communicate with a comestible containing vessel. In the 
presence of aspiration by a consumer at the end of the tube not affixed to 
the junction, fluids are drawn into the aspiration intake port. The fluids 
pass through the junction and into and through the rigid tubular member to 
the mouth of the user. 
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that a spoon and straw 
combination formed in accordance with the present invention has the 
advantage that the functions of spooning and sucking are distinct. This 
allows a user of the utensil to spoon a food product without the risk of 
the fluid portion inadvertently entering the straw and leaking out the 
aspiration end. 
A further advantage of the present invention is to be found in the location 
of the straw intake orifice which provides for an improved interface with 
the bottom surface of a container. This allows the user of the utensil to 
fully consume the fluid from the bottommost portion of a 
comestible-containing vessel. Further, the flared and contoured shape of 
the opening of the straw section provides a further advantage of an 
enhanced fluid intake port. 
For better understanding of the present invention, together with other and 
further advantages, reference is made to the following description taken 
in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and its scope will be 
pointed out in the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the utensil 
of the present invention. The utensil includes a straw section formed from 
a tubular member 2 having an aspiration port 4 and a fluid intake port 6. 
The utensil further includes a spoon cavity 8. Since the member 2 must 
transport the spoon cavity 8 and its contents and be capable of supporting 
the spoon cavity 8 during scooping and "food excavation" the tubular 
member 2 is sufficiently rigid to support the spoon cavity 8 carrying out 
each of these functions. 
The spoon cavity 8 is formed from a continuous wall having a concave 
interior surface 10 and an exterior surface 12. The spoon cavity 8 is 
affixed to the tubular member 2 by a junction 14. The junction 14 may take 
on several forms, as will be discussed in further detail, from simple 
bonding to a molded chamber. However, the junction 14 is always formed 
such that the fluid intake port 6 of the straw section is isolated from 
the interior surface 10 of spoon cavity 8. This prevents fluid 
communication directly between the spoon cavity 8 and the rigid tubular 
member 2, thereby providing for distinct functions of spooning and 
aspirating (sucking). 
FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view further illustrating a preferred embodiment of 
a utensil of the present invention. From this view, junction 14 is further 
shown as having three components. The partial cut away view taken from 
FIG. 4, line 4--4, shows these features in further detail. The first 
component of junction 14 is a neck 14A which comprises a tubular extension 
having a tubular inside diameter sized and shaped to receive and form a 
friction fit with the rigid tubular member 2. The junction 14 also 
includes a chamber 14b which is formed by a continuous wall extending from 
the exterior surface 12 of the spoon cavity 8. The final element of the 
junction 14 is the junction intake orifice 14c. The junction intake 
orifice 14c is an opening, which in this embodiment, communicates with the 
comestible containing vessel. This orifice 14c is in fluid communication 
with straw intake orifice 6 via the chamber 14b. 
FIG. 5 shows the simplest embodiment of the present invention wherein the 
junction 14 between the spoon cavity 8 and rigid tubular member 2 is a 
simple adhesive joint. The tubular member 2 is tangentially joined to the 
spoon cavity exterior surface 12 such that a unitary utensil is formed. In 
this embodiment, fluids are drawn directly into the straw intake orifice 6 
and the two operable functions are isolated by the tubular wall of the 
straw section and continuous exterior surface 12 of the spoon cavity. In 
FIG. 4, a "C" shaped wall is shown on the exterior surface 12 to 
facilitate alignment of the straw and spoon sections during bonding, 
however, this feature is optional. 
In the alternate embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6, the junction 14 is 
formed as a unitary assembly with the spoon cavity 8. The junction 14 is 
formed from a secondary wall forming a tubular collar along the exterior 
surface of the spoon cavity. The resulting collar of junction 14 has an 
interior diameter selected to receive and frictionally hold the tubular 
member 2. In this embodiment, the exterior surface 12 provides the desired 
barrier between the spoon cavity 8 and fluid intake port 6. 
Another preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in 
FIG. 7. The junction 14 in this embodiment has a flared and angled intake 
port 14c to communicate with the bottom surface of a typical comestible 
containing vessel much like that shown in FIG. 4. This shape extends the 
opening size and is angled to fit cooperatively with the bottom surface of 
a vessel to enhance fluid communication with the vessel. Further, the 
junction 14 is formed having the junction neck 14a along the same axis as 
the tubular member such that the spoon cavity and rigid tubular member are 
essentially on the same axis at the point of connection. FIG. 7 further 
shows an alternate embodiment of the junction neck 14a, which in this 
embodiment is formed as a tubular member having an exterior diameter 
preferably selected to frictionally fit within the intake orifice 6 of the 
straw section. The spoon cavity is attached to the straw section by 
inserting the neck 14c into the intake orifice 6. The attachment may be 
enhanced by use of an adhesive on the mating surfaces to supplement or 
substitute for the holding force of the preferred friction fit. 
FIG. 8 illustrates a utensil of the present invention in cooperation with a 
comestible containing vessel. This view illustrates the improved fluid 
interface achieved by the angled and contoured junction intake orifice 
14c. 
It is to be appreciated that while the two piece construction as described 
is preferred, it is also contemplated that a utensil in accordance with 
the present invention may be formed as a single part. In this embodiment, 
shown in FIG. 9, the previously described features would be achieved by 
suitably forming a mold to fabricate the piece as a unitary structure. 
While them have been described what are presently believed to be the 
preferred embodiments of the invention, those skilled in the art will 
realize that various changes and modifications may be made to the 
invention without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is 
intended to claim all such changes and modifications as forward in the 
scope of the invention.