Patent Publication Number: US-2004051327-A1

Title: Choptstick of the pincers type

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0001] The present invention relates to chopsticks of pincers type, and more particularly, to chopsticks of pincers type, wherein the upper ends are connected with each other, and the grips are formed on the sides in protrusion, so that the chopsticks are closed by pressing the grips and are returned to their original positions by the restoring force.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002] In general, one pair of chopsticks consist of two individual sticks each of which is used to pick up food. But using the chopsticks adeptly requires some level of dexterity, and it is very difficult to use them for persons who are unfamiliar with the use of chopsticks, such as foreigners, the aged, those with physical handicaps, and especially such patients with tremulous hands.  
       [0003] In addition, the chopsticks can be contaminated by contact with the surface of the table since the chopsticks are usually put down on the table when not in use, thus invoking the feeling of a bad appearance and sanitation.  
       [0004] To solve these problems, some restaurants employ a separate chopstick-rest on which the chopsticks can be set down when not in use, so that the portion of the chopsticks that contacts with food will not touch the table surface. This practice, however, has its own drawbacks, for provision of a chopstick-rest means extra work, time, and cost; it is also troublesome for diners who must set down the chopsticks on the rests every time.  
       [0005] Another solution is to be found in a Korean utility model, Registration No. 145841, which the present applicant obtained earlier. The utility model of the present applicant is characterized in that the chopsticks are made in a body; their upper ends being connected with each other by means of a connecting connecting support  120  in the shape of a ring bent downward and their bottom parts being formed in a body together with grips  140 ; the outer side of them embossed or knurled.  
       [0006] However, although the chopsticks in said utility model have the effect of possibly preventing their contacts (food-contacting parts)  130  from contacting the table top due to the grips  140  and the connecting connecting support  120 , there is still a problem in that when the grips  140  are pressed to grasp food, the pressure is applied to the connecting connecting support  120 , viz. the tension to its outer side and the compression to its inner side; whereupon, the connecting connecting support  120  can be weakened or, worse still, fractured. If the connecting connecting support  120  is reinforced to overcome these shortcomings, then, it invariably occurs that the connecting connecting support  120  gets too tough to bend with sufficient elasticity for easy grasp of food.  
       [0007] Of course it may be possible to remedy such a problem simply by making the said ring of the connecting connecting support much bigger, but then the chopsticks must look unbalanced thereby damaging the appearance and making it hard for both contacts, remote from the central sections, to be brought together without intercrossing, since the pressing force needed to grasp food has to act mostly on the connecting connecting support.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008] Now the object of the present invention is to provide clean and sanitary chopsticks, in which the connecting connecting support will not fracture, nor the contacts intercross, while coming into no contact with the table surface.  
       [0009] The above object of the present invention can be attained by bestowing an elastically deformable shape on the part between connecting connecting support and grip, and thus the present invention is characterized in that it comprises a connecting connecting support connecting the upper ends of chopsticks; grips enlarged to have a bigger surface area than the adjacent parts and positioned between connecting connecting support and contact; and an intermediate part, which, positioned between grip and connecting connecting support, is wider and thinner than the part between contact and grip. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0010]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the conventional pincers-type chopsticks;  
     [0011]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the pincers-type chopsticks of the present invention;  
     [0012]FIG. 3 is a plane view of the type chopsticks of the present invention;  
     [0013]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another example of pincers-type chopsticks of the present invention;  
     [0014]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of still another example of pincers-type chopsticks of the present invention; and,  
     [0015]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of yet another pincers-type example chopsticks of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
     [0016] One of the embodiments of the present invention is described below, referring to the drawings thereof.  
     [0017]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the chopsticks of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is its plane view.  
     [0018] As shown in the above drawings, the pincers-type chopsticks of the present invention comprise a connecting connecting support  20 , which joins the upper ends of chopsticks in a body, and, bent downward, keeps contacts  30  of the chopsticks from coming into contact with the table top;  
     [0019] grips  40 , which are formed in a protuberance between the said connecting connecting support  20  and the said contacts  30 , and, having their bottom parts in contact with the table top, do connecting connecting support, together with the said connecting connecting support  20 , the chopsticks to keep the said contacts  30  from getting into contact with the table top; and,  
     [0020] intermediate parts  50 , which, positioned between the said grips  40  and the said connecting connecting support  20 , are formed wide and long so as to bestow an elastic transformative property on the chopsticks.  
     [0021] Of course, the said connecting connecting support  20  and grips  40  may not necessarily swell downward, but can rise upward or both fall downward and rise upward. And also, if the side face is formed with linear symmetry, the use of the chopsticks may be rendered more convenient, because there is no need to differentiate the upper and lower sides of chopsticks.  
     [0022] Only, the said connecting connecting support  20  and the said grip  40  have to get into contact with the table top and so they must connecting connecting support the chopsticks, preventing the said contacts  30  from getting in touch with the table top, and provide enough areas for grip with a hand.  
     [0023] The functions of the pincers-type chopsticks of the present invention are as follows:  
     [0024] When the pincers-type chopsticks of the present invention are used for grasping food, force is applied to the said grips  40 , and the chopsticks are bent inward from the said connecting support  20 , and then the said intermediate parts  50  between the said grips  40  and the said connecting support  20 , shaped thinner than other parts, prove elastic and easier to bounce, wherefore, the chopsticks with thus improved elasticity modulus can recover their original position easily enough for re-use if the force applied to the said grips is abated a little.  
     [0025] Accordingly, while conventional chopsticks function by the elasticity of the connecting support alone, the chopsticks of the present invention are endowed with elasticity of their own to function, and in the present invention the said connecting support only serve firmly to connect the two sticks and connecting support the chopsticks but prevent the said contacts  30  from getting intercrossed and getting into contact with the table top.  
     [0026] And also the said contacts  30  which get in touch with food can be given either the shape of a fork with prongs, or of a wide flat, or else, an uneven surface, all to help grasp food with greater ease.  
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY  
     [0027] The present invention has effects of preventing the possible fracture of the connecting support and helping grasp food with ease, since both contacts of the chopsticks can be brought together with small force, kept from intercrossing, while both the connecting support and thegrips, themselves in contact with the table top, can connecting support the contacts and keep them from contact with the table top. firmly to connect the two sticks and support the chopsticks, but prevent the said contacts  30  from getting intercrossed and getting into contact with the table top.  
     [0028] As shown in FIG. 4, to help grasp food with greater ease, the said contacts  30  which get in touch with food can be given either the shape of a fork with prongs. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 5 or  6 , the contacts may have a wide flat; or else, an uneven surface.