Patent Publication Number: US-11638495-B2

Title: Oral motor spoon

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to an eating utensil that improves oral motor skills for people with Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, developmental delay, or other similar conditions. More specifically, the present invention is an oral motor spoon, which is designed to help the user improve oral motor skills. 
     Many people who are born prematurely or have been diagnosed with Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, or developmental delay have difficulty controlling their tongue movement, lip movement, and have decreased oral awareness. This oral motor spoon includes a thick, flat, blunt, rectangular-shaped tip, a bowl having an inner portion that is sloped downwardly towards the tip, and a longitudinally extending handle. These unique features promote improvement of oral motor skills. This configuration is particularly useful for users to learn where their tongue should be positioned when eating off of a spoon, how their upper lip should move, and to increase oral awareness. 
     Heretofore, many efforts have been made to provide mechanisms for eating utensils and the like. Some examples are set forth hereinbelow, and each of the following references are incorporated herein by reference, in their entireties: 
     U.S. Pat. No. 2,640,263-E-Z Feeding Baby Spoon for Liquid or Medicines 
     This invention relates to spoons especially adapted for feeding liquids to small infants. In the feeding of infants, it is obviously desirable to utilize a spoon which minimizes the possibility of liquid flowing over the sides and also prevents infants from obstructing the passage of fluid from the bowl to the mouth by means of their lips. No adequate solution to this problem is presented by the conventional spoon since a slight tilting of the spoon results in liquid running over the sides soiling clothes and other surrounding objects. Moreover, due to the open type bowl construction, an infant can easily prevent proper feeding by pressing his lips tightly about the spoon surface. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 2,803,059-Spoon 
     The present invention relates to a spoon and more particularly to a feeding device which is adapted to administer certain types of nourishment to infants or invalids. Due to the fact that many babies take their milk or formula from a nursing bottle, they are ordinarily unfamiliar with a spoon which is used after a certain period of growth and development. However, babies are ordinarily familiar with the conventional rubber nipple and receive it quite readily. The natural tendency of an infant getting hold of a rubber nipple is to place it in his mouth and suck. The present invention proposes to take advantage of this natural tendency. Another important factor in feeding babies is consideration for the gums which are quite tender and which are easily injured by biting or contacting hard objects. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,014,277-Feeding Spoon 
     The present invention relates to spoons, and the like, and more particular to a spoon for feeding infants. Conventionally shaped spoons are unsatisfactory for training infants to eat semi-sold foods for the reason that an infant during the first few weeks has not learned to compress its lips to accept and hold food within its mouth. A conventional spoon must be tipped upwardly at the handle end to scrape the food out of the spoon against the infant&#39;s upper gum. This action causes the sides of the spoon to contact the infant&#39;s gums and, being hard, and an unfamiliar sensation to the infant&#39;s mount, the infant tries to reject the spoon by pushing it out of its mouth by pushing its tongue against the spoon and food. A conventional spoon is not shaped properly for efficiently scraping rejected food off an infant&#39;s lips and chin to return the food to the mouth. Furthermore, the conventional spoon, formed of metal, hurts the gums of an infant when it bites on the spoon, this is particularly true when the infant is teething. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,524,513-Flat Tip Spoon 
     A flatware or culinary spoon has a bowl with a rearwardly extending handle and forwardly extending flat tip end area portion. The remainder of the bowl merges with the flat tip end area portion and provides a receptacle for material directed thereinto by the flat tip end area portion. Convexly arcuate side edges of the bowl merge with and terminate a substantial distance rearwardly from the forward portion of the flat tip end area portion, so that the sides of the flat tip portion forwardly from the side edges are free from interference from the forward ends of the side edges. The front edge of the flat tip end area portion may be convexly curvate, straight edge, indented or multi-lobed. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 8,857,065-Training Spoon 
     A training spoon for training an individual not to bite down on a spoon includes a longitudinally extending handle and a spoon shaped head portion integral with or attached to the handle. The head portion defines a relatively shallow concave bowl with a plurality of generally parallel alternating transverse ridges and adjacent grooves extending across a majority of the width of the head portion of the spoon. 
     U.S. Pub. No. 2005/0091854-Apparatus and Methods for Providing Oral Tactile Stimulation while Delivering Food 
     A transitional feeding tool for individuals with oral sensory problems comprises a handle and a food-carrying platform carries by the handle. The food-carrying platform has a top surface and a bottom surface extending along an axis and at least one blunt projection extending radially from the bottom surface of the platform. The projection is adapted to contact the tongue to provide oral tactile stimulation as the tool is advanced over the tongue to deliver food. 
     U.S. Pub. No. 2007/0251103-Baby Spoon 
     A baby spoon has a handle and a bowl connected to the handle. The bowl has laterally spaced side edges, a back edge extending generally transversely between the side edges, and front edge longitudinally spaced from the back edge and extending transversely between the side edges of the bowl. The front edge includes a forward most extend of the bowl and has a smallest radius of curvature of not less than about 0.75 inches. The side edges define a bowl width including a maximum bowl width. The bowl width decreases from the maximum forward to the front edge of the bowl. The longitudinal distance between the maximum bowl width and the forward most extent of the bowl is no more than about 0.75 inches. In another embodiment, the maximum width of the bowl is nearer to the front edge of the bowl than to the back edge of the bowl. 
     U.S. Pub. No. 2012/0297629-Training Spoon 
     A training spoon for training an individual not to bite down on a spoon includes a longitudinally extending handle and a spoon shaped head portion integral with or attached to the handle. The head portion defines a relatively shallow concave bowl with a plurality of generally parallel alternating transverse ridges and adjacent grooves extending across a majority of the width of the head portion of the spoon. 
     U.S. Pub. No. 2013/0125402-Feeding Utensil 
     Utensils including a cover for at least a portion of the working end of the utensil. The cover may be in the form of a “scoop” located at the rearward portion of the working end of a utensil so that a user, such as a child, may lift the utensil vertically and still avoid spilling a significant portion of the food. The utensil may include a handle having a handle portion thicker than a conventional child utensil handle. The handle may be curved for easier handling. The cover may include indicia such as a character appealing to a user, such as a cartoon, animated character, celebrity or the like. 
     U.S. Pub. No. 2014/0130359-Personal Food Delivery Apparatus and Method 
     A personal food delivery apparatus and method includes a utensil with a handle end and a food end where the food end is a flat surface. A food retaining device is connected with the food end where the food retaining device retains food of the food retaining device. 
     U.S. Pub. No. 2016/0296052-Spoon 
     A spoon is provided that has a handle, a neck, a head, and a spoon or food receiving recess that has a front edge and a rear edge. The rear edge is raised such that a straight line joining the front edge and the rear edge extends in the same general direction as a straight line extending in the general direction of the length of the handle of the spoon. Preferably, the neck is spaced from the spoon or food receiving recess by a distance of the same order as the dimension of the recess itself. The cross-sectional size of the spoon increases from the neck to a position corresponding to the rear edge of the recess with the outer surface being smoothly contoured to provide a smooth contact surface for the lips of a person using same to encircle the spoon between the neck and recess. 
     U.S. Pub. No. 2016/0324347-Spoon with Retention Means 
     The present invention comprises a spoon (1) with a handle (2) and a rigid central base region (3), wherein the rigid central base region (3) merges at its periphery into an extended portion, which, in the resting condition forms a retaining edge (5) inclined inwards relative to a vertical axis (4), and wherein the retaining edge (5) is embodied to be foldable inwards relative to the base region (3). 
     U.S. Design Pat. No. D523,299-Textured Spoon 
     U.S. Design Pat. No. D536,934-Spoon with Orifices 
     U.S. Design Pat. No. D744300-Slotted Head Spoon with Silicone End 
     U.S. Design Pat. No. D782,255-Yogurt Spoon 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a first embodiment of an oral motor spoon for improving oral motor skills includes a handle, with a first end and a second end, that extends longitudinally, and bowl section having an interior that defines a forwardly-sloped concave bowl. The bowl section is connected to the second end of the handle and an interior portion of the bowl slopes from the handle, downwardly towards the tip, which is positioned at a distal end of the bowl. 
     The tip preferably includes a flat, vertically oriented exterior edge, and is thick, blunt, and elevated above the remaining perimeter of the bowl so that as the user places the spoon into his or her mouth, it pushes the user&#39;s tongue back into the user&#39;s mouth, training the user where his or her tongue should be when eating from a spoon. 
     The interior portion of the bowl section is sloped downwardly towards the tip to provide touch to the upper lip when the spoon enters the user&#39;s mouth, allowing the user to learn how his or her upper lip should move when eating from a spoon. The distal end of the bowl section includes, on an inner surface thereof, a sharp upward curve toward a vertically oriented interior edge adjacent the tip, so that food carried within the bowl tends to gravitate toward the tip of the spoon. The bowl section preferably widens in a transverse direction as it extends from the handle to the tip. 
     The underside surface of the bowl section is generally flat, disposed in a generally horizontal plane. Additionally, the underside of the bowl section includes parallel, linear, textured ridges oriented transversely with respect to the handle. As a user places the spoon into his or her mouth, the ridges rub along the user&#39;s lower lip, increasing oral awareness and providing stimulation to the lower lip, indicating that the user should move his or her lip upwardly to cup the bottom of the bowl of the spoon. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where: 
         FIG.  1    is a top view of one embodiment of the oral motor spoon, wherein the oral motor spoon has a handle, a bowl section forming a generally concave bowl, and a thick, blunt, rectangular-shaped tip at a distal end thereof; 
         FIG.  2    is a side view of one embodiment of the oral motor spoon, wherein the oral motor spoon includes bowl section forming a forwardly-sloped concave bowl and textured ridges running transversely along an underside thereof, and wherein the dashed lines indicate the shape of the inner surface of the bowl; 
         FIG.  3    is a bottom view of one embodiment of the oral motor spoon, wherein the oral motor spoon includes three textured ridges in parallel relation, running transversely along the underside of the bowl; 
         FIG.  4    is a rear view of one embodiment of the oral motor spoon, wherein an upper surface of the flat tip of the bowl section extends above the remaining upper perimeter the concave bowl; and 
         FIG.  5    is a perspective front view of one embodiment of the oral motor spoon, wherein the front exterior portion of the tip is a smooth, flat, tip having a generally rectangular cross-section. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention includes, in a first embodiment, an oral motor spoon  10 , as shown in  FIGS.  1 - 5   , and includes a handle  12  with a first end a second end, a thick, flat, blunt tip  14 , and bowl section  16  including forwardly-sloped concave bowl  18 . The handle  12  extends longitudinally, and the bowl section  16  extends from the second end of the handle  12 , widening as toward the tip  14 , which is positioned on the distal end  20  of the bowl  18 . 
     In a preferred embodiment, the tip  14  is formed into a flat, thick, blunt, rectangular-shaped section  22  that is positioned in a generally vertical plane in relation to the generally horizontally oriented handle  12 . The upper edge  24  of the tip  14  is preferably flat, and is elevated above the remaining perimeter of the spoon  10 , as shown in  FIGS.  2  and  4   . The width of the upper edge  24  of the tip  14  in a longitudinal direction, between the front edge  26  of the tip  14  and the distal end  28  of the interior, generally vertical, bowl surface  48  is preferably between 1.0 and 1.25 inches, although other widths may be suitable. When in use, this flat tip  14  pushes the user&#39;s tongue back into the user&#39;s mouth as the spoon enters the user&#39;s mouth. The interior portion  30  of the bowl section  16  is preferably positioned such that it slopes downwardly from the handle  12  towards the tip  14 , at roughly a 45 degree angle  32  (preferably between 40-50 degrees), and curves sharply into a vertical plane  4  adjacent the tip  14 . This unique slope  32  of the bowl  18  tends to urge food held therein to gravitate toward the tip  14 . The bowl shape provides touch to the user&#39;s upper lip when the spoon  10  enters the user&#39;s mouth and allows the user&#39;s upper lip to slide down when clearing the bowl  18  of the spoon  10 , which aids the user in learning how his or her upper lip should move when eating off of a spoon. Additionally, the bowl  18  includes a concave shape such that a user can hold liquids and other types of food in the bowl  18  of the spoon  10 . 
     In a preferred embodiment, the bowl section  16  includes three textured ridges  38  extending horizontally and transversely in parallel relation along an underside thereof, as shown in  FIGS.  2  and  3   . The ridges  38  are preferably narrower than the width of the underside of the bowl section  16 , so that they do not extend to each exterior side of the bowl  18 , as shown. As the spoon  10  enters the user&#39;s mouth, the ridges  38  rub along the user&#39;s lower lip, increasing oral awareness, and provide stimulation to the lower lip, training user&#39;s to cup the bottom of the bowl  18  of the spoon  10  with his or her lower lip. 
     In one embodiment, the tip  14  may include a rounded edge on the upper portion of the tip, instead of the generally rectangular-shaped tip discussed previously. 
     Preferably, the oral motor spoon  10  is made of food grade silicone or other similar materials, but it should be understood that any suitable food grade material may be used. 
     Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein. All features disclosed in this specification may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.