Patent Publication Number: US-2004056036-A1

Title: Utensil set

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] The present invention relates to a utensil set which includes a first piece and a second piece which can be engaged with the first piece to form an enclosed space therebetween so as to receive ice cubes or hot water.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002] Conventional utensil such as a plate or a bowl has only single function which is that food is received in the recessed space located in a center of the utensil. There is no extra function to keep the temperature of the food. Besides, it needs another plate to have dipping, source or the like and this increase the quantity of dirty plates or bowls to be washed. The conventional utensil is not convenient to bring food to a distance because no cap or cover is designed for the utensil.  
       [0003] The present invention intends to provide a utensil set that can be engaged with each other in a variety of ways so as to meet different needs.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a utensil set which comprises a first piece having a recessed area and an annular flange is connected to a first wall of the recessed area. A second piece has a receiving area enclosed by a second wall and a first leg portion extends from an underside of the second piece. The first leg portion is engaged with an inner periphery of the edge of the recessed area of the first piece.  
       [0005] The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0006]FIG. 1 shows the first piece and the second piece of the utensil set of the present invention;  
     [0007]FIG. 2 shows a first way to engage the first piece with the second piece;  
     [0008]FIG. 3 shows a second way to engage the first piece with the second piece;  
     [0009]FIG. 4 shows a cross sectional view of the second piece;  
     [0010]FIG. 5 shows a cross sectional view of the first piece;  
     [0011]FIG. 6 shows a way of use for the combination of the utensil set of the present invention;  
     [0012]FIG. 7 shows three sets of the utensil set are piled up;  
     [0013]FIG. 8 shows a second embodiment of the utensil set of the present invention;  
     [0014]FIG. 9 shows a third embodiment of the utensil set of the present invention;  
     [0015]FIG. 10 shows a fourth embodiment of the utensil set of the present invention, and  
     [0016]FIG. 11 shows a fifth embodiment of the utensil set of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
     [0017] Referring to FIGS.  1  to  5 , the utensil set of the present invention comprises a first piece  1  which has a recessed area  10  and an annular flange extending from a first wall  11  enclosing the recessed area  10 . The flange of the first piece  1  has a plurality of recesses  12  defined in a top surface thereof so as to receive spoons, forks  3 , source or dipping therein. The flange of the first piece  1  further has a ridge  13  extending downward from an outer periphery thereof.  
     [0018] A second piece  2  has a receiving area  24  enclosed by a second wall  20  and a first leg portion  22  extends from an underside of the second piece  2 . The first leg portion  22  is sized to be engaged with an inner periphery of the first wall  11  of the recessed area  10  of the first piece  1  as shown in FIG. 3. The first piece  1  may also be put on the second piece  2  with the wall of the second piece  2  engaged with an inside of the ridge  13  of the first piece  1 . Therefore, an enclosed space is defined between the first piece  1  and the second piece  2 . The space may receive ice cubes  4  or hot water so as to maintain the temperature of the food  5  put in the first piece  1  as shown in FIG. 6 or the second piece  2 . By the same engagement, as shown in FIG. 7, the combination of the first piece  1  and the second piece  2  can be piled up to save the space of storage.  
     [0019] As shown in FIG. 8, a second embodiment of the utensil set is that an outer periphery of the recessed area  10  of the first piece  1  is sized to be engaged with an inside of the first leg portion  22  of the second piece  2  of a first set of the utensil set. Therefore, the first piece  1  can be put on the wall  20  of the second piece  2  in an upside-down position and the outer periphery of the recessed area  10  of the first piece  1  is engaged with the inside of the first leg portion  22  of the second piece  2  of a second set of the utensil. A first piece  1  is supported on the wall  20  of the second piece  2  of the second set of the utensil set. A third set of the utensil set which is the same as the first set is then put on the second set of the utensil set by engaging the first leg portion  22  of the second piece  2  of the third set of the utensil set with the inner periphery of the recessed area  10  of the first piece  1  of the second set of the utensil set.  
     [0020]FIG. 9 shows a third embodiment wherein a second leg portion  14  extends from the underside of the first piece  1  and is sized to be engaged with the outer periphery of the first leg portion  22  of the second piece  2 . A first set of the utensil set has a first piece  1  mounted on the wall  20  of the second piece  2  in an upside-down position. The second set and the third set of the utensil set are identical and the first piece  1  is supported on the wall  20  of the second piece  2  at its normal position. The second leg portion  14  of the first set of the utensil set is engaged with the first leg portion  22  of the second piece  2  of the second set of the utensil set.  
     [0021]FIG. 10 shows a fourth embodiment which is similar to the third embodiment, wherein the second piece  2  has a third leg portion  22 ′ extending from the underside thereof and the third leg portion  22 ′ located at an inner side of the first leg portion  22 . The third leg portion  22 ′ of the second piece  2  of the first set of the utensil set is sized to be engaged with the inner periphery of the second leg portion  14  of the first piece  1  of the first set of the utensil set.  
     [0022]FIG. 11 shows a fifth embodiment, wherein an annular notch  21  is defined in an inner edge of an inner periphery of the second wall  20  of the second piece  2  so that the flange of the first piece  1  can be engaged with the annular notch  21  to be supported by the wall  20  of the second piece  2 .  
     [0023] While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.