Patent Publication Number: US-2017347821-A1

Title: Hand forged metal eating utensils

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to a relatively thick hand forged metal eating utensil inclusive of a spoon and fork having a cross sectional seamless geometry, a streamlined shape and a thickness that varies from the eating end of the utensil to the end of the handle opposite the eating end such that the eating end of the utensil lies elevated relative to the height of the remaining body of the utensil when laid flat on a table or on a ground level surface. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Conventional eating utensils become unsanitary upon exposure to germs when the eating end of the utensil, particularly a fork and/or spoon, is placed upon a table surface or a surface at ground level resulting in the eating end of the utensil making direct contact with the table or ground level surface. The exposure to germs is reduced when the table surface is covered by a cloth. However, for the eating utensil to truly remain sanitary after placement on a surface of a table, or ground level surface, no matter how well the eating utensil was cleaned or washed, the end of the eating utensil which enters the user&#39;s mouth needs to be in an elevated relationship relative to the body of the utensil such that the eating end cannot make physical contact with the table surface upon which it is placed. Prior art eating utensils are known to have been manufactured having an eating end which is in an elevated relationship to the remaining body of the utensil so that the eating end of the utensil remains elevated when the utensil is placed upon a table surface or upon the ground. However, such prior art eating utensils are known to be uncomfortable to eat with based upon the height of the eating end and are unattractive in appearance. Accordingly, prior art eating utensils manufactured with elevated eating ends have not been well received in the marketplace. 
     The metal eating utensils of the subject invention have an elevated eating end with a cross sectional seamless geometry, a streamlined shape and a thickness that varies from the eating end of the utensil to the end of the handle opposite the eating end such that the eating utensil possesses a handling capability and degree of comfort to the user equivalent to that of a conventional eating utensil without the eating end being elevated. This is accomplished in accordance with the present invention by hand forging the eating utensils at elevated temperature in a mold to impart a curvature which elevates the eating end and varies the thickness of the utensil from the eating end to the opposite end of the handle such that the handling comfort of the eating utensil remains about the same as when eating with a conventional eating utensil without a raised eating end. 
     Hot forging is a conventional manufacturing process in which the forged part is shaped by means of localized compressive force using a forging hammer and a die which functions as a mold for molding the forged part into a desired shape. The hot forging process of itself does not form part of the subject invention. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The metal eating utensils of the subject invention are hand forged at an elevated temperature to form a cross sectional seamless geometry comprising a fulcrum disposed between the eating end of the utensil and the handle of the utensil having a raised protrusion, for resting the eating utensil upon a table surface, and a cross-sectional thickness larger than the cross sectional thickness of the eating end and larger than the cross sectional thickness of the handle. The utensil includes a first curvilinear portion located adjacent one side of the fulcrum extending toward the eating end of the utensil and a second curvilinear portion extending from the opposite side of fulcrum extending toward the distal end of the handle. The first curvilinear portion forms an arch having a radius of curvature larger than the radius of curvature of the second curvilinear portion. The cross sectional thickness of the handle for a utensil representing either a fork or spoon varies from the second curvilinear portion to the distal end of the handle and the distal end of the handle has a thickness larger than the thickness of the second curvilinear portion. The curvature of the first curvilinear portion causes the eating end of the utensil to be elevated relative to the body of the eating utensil and the thickness of the eating utensil varies from the eating end of the utensil to the distal end of the handle for forming a continuous seamless cross sectional geometry which enhances the comfort of the user when using the eating utensil. 
     In the preferred embodiment for both a fork and a spoon the first and second curvilinear portions on opposite sides of the fulcrum are, at least, partially concave in geometry to form a continuous seamless shape from the eating end to the distal end of the handle with the eating end of the utensil having a cross sectional thickness at least between 20 to 60% thinner than the thickness of the remaining body of the eating utensil and with the handle having a thickness which varies from the fulcrum to the distal end of the handle. However, when the eating utensil is configured as a fork the first curvilinear portion preferably includes both a concave section and a convex section such that the curvilinear portion of the fork extending from the fulcrum to the eating end thereof is sinusoidal in geometry. This in conjunction with the thickness variation enhances both the aesthetics and handling comfort of the fork. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which: 
         FIG. 1( a )  is a top view of an eating utensil configured as a fork in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 1( b )  is a side view of the eating utensil shown in  FIG. 1( a ) ; 
         FIG. 1( c )  is a bottom view of the eating utensil shown in  FIG. 1( b ) ; 
         FIG. 1( d )  is a top perspective view of the eating utensil shown in  FIG. 1( a ) ; 
         FIG. 1( e )  is a bottom perspective view of the eating utensil shown in  FIG. 1( a ) ; 
         FIG. 2( a )  is a top view of an eating utensil configured as a spoon in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2( b )  is a side view of the eating utensil shown in  FIG. 2( a ) ; 
         FIG. 2( c )  is a bottom view of the eating utensil shown in  FIG. 2( b ) ; 
         FIG. 2( d )  is a top perspective view of the eating utensil shown in  FIG. 2( a ) ; and 
         FIG. 2( e )  is a bottom perspective view of the eating utensil shown in  FIG. 2( a ) ; 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The preferred embodiment of the eating utensil  10  of the present invention, when configured as a typical fork, as is shown in  FIGS. 1( a )-1( e ) , comprises an eating end  12 , a handle  14  having a distal end  22  and a fulcrum  16  located between the eating end  12  and the distal end  22  of the handle  14 . The fulcrum  16  has a raised protrusion  17  for resting the eating utensil  10  on a table surface (not shown) and has a large cross-sectional thickness larger than the cross sectional thickness of the eating end  12  and preferably larger than at least the portion of the handle  14  closest the fulcrum  16 . 
     The eating utensil  10  further comprises a first curvilinear portion  18  located adjacent one side of the fulcrum  16  between the fulcrum  16  and the eating end  12  of the utensil  10  and a second curvilinear portion  20  located in the handle  14  on the opposite adjacent side of the fulcrum  16 . The second curvilinear portion  20  also varies in thickness between the fulcrum  16  and the distal end  22  of the handle  14 . Both the first curvilinear portion  18  and the second curvilinear portion  20  are, at least, partially concave in geometry and form a continuous seamless shape from the eating end  12  to the distal end  22  of the handle  14 . The first curvilinear portion  18  forms an arch having a radius of curvature larger than the radius of curvature of the second curvilinear portion  20  and preferably includes both a concave section  23  and a convex section  24  which, in combination, represent a sinusoidal waveform with two dips. This curvature of the first curvilinear portion  20  elevates the eating end  12  of the utensil  10  such that the eating end  12  is not able to make physical contact with a table surface when the utensil  10  is placed on such table surface without affecting the handling comfort of the user when eating food and increases the aesthetics of the fork as an eating utensil. 
     The thickness of the eating utensil  10  varies from the eating end  12  to the distal end  22  of the handle  14  with the cross sectional thickness of the distal end  22  of the handle  14  being thicker than the cross sectional thickness of the second curvilinear portion  20 . The cross sectional thickness of the eating end  12  of the utensil  10  should be at least between 20 to 60% thinner than the thickness of the remainder of the eating utensil  10  for forming a continuous seamless cross sectional geometry throughout the utensil  10  which enhances the aesthetics of the eating utensil  10 . 
     Likewise, the preferred embodiment of an eating utensil  30  of the present invention, configured as a typical spoon, as shown in  FIGS. 2( a )-2( e ) , comprises an eating end  32 , a handle  34  and a fulcrum  16  located between the eating end  32  and the handle  34 . The fulcrum  16  for the eating utensil  30  is identical to the fulcrum  16  for the eating utensil  10  and has a raised protrusion  17  for resting the eating utensil  30  on a table surface (not shown). The raised protrusion  17  in the spoon has a cross-sectional thickness larger than the cross sectional thickness of the eating end  32  and larger than the cross sectional thickness of the handle  34 . 
     The eating utensil  30  further comprises a first curvilinear portion  38 , similar in configuration to the first curvilinear portion  18 , and similarly located on one adjacent side of the fulcrum  16  between the fulcrum  16  and the eating end  32  and a second curvilinear portion  40  located in the handle  34  on the opposite adjacent side of the fulcrum  16  between the fulcrum  16  and the distal end  42  of the handle  34 . The first curvilinear portion  38  and the second curvilinear portion  40  are, at least, partially concave in geometry to form a continuous seamless shape from the eating end  32  to the distal end  42  of the handle  34 . In addition, the first curvilinear portion  38  forms an arch having a radius of curvature larger than the radius of curvature of the second curvilinear portion  40 . Likewise, the thickness of the utensil  30  varies from the eating end  32  to the distal end  42  of the handle  34  with the cross sectional thickness of the handle  34  at the distal end  42  thereof being thicker than the cross sectional thickness of the second curvilinear portion  40 . Similarly, the cross sectional thickness of the eating end  32  of the utensil  30  should be at least between 20 to 60% thinner than the thickness of the remainder of the eating utensil  30 . This relationship assures forming a continuous seamless cross sectional geometry throughout the utensil  30  for enhancing the aesthetics of the eating utensil  30  and the handling comfort of the user when eating food. 
     The eating utensils  10  and  30  are hand forged at elevated temperature in a high temperature furnace using a conventional hot forging furnace with the forged parts shaped in a conventional manner by a technician using a conventional die which functions as a mold to provide localized compression at relatively high temperature. The desired configuration of the fork  10  and/or spoon  30  of the subject invention are hand forged to achieve the desired variation in thickness of the eating utensil between the eating end and the handle with the cross sectional thickness of the distal end of the handle being larger than the cross sectional thickness of the second curvilinear portion in the handle and with the eating end of the utensil being thinner in cross sectional thickness relative to the thickness of the handle. The desired cross sectional thickness of the handles  14  and  34  should range from between about 2-4 mm in thickness at the distal end thereof.