Abstract:
There is disclosed a combination chopsticks and chopstick rest which are manufactured as a single unit. Bending the end of the chopsticks unit at a pair of incised grooves separates the chopstick rest. The remaining portion of the chopsticks unit comprises a pair of coherent chopsticks separated by a transverse cut and leaving a short uncut portion at the thickest end of the article. The chopsticks are separated by pulling them apart. The chopsticks may then be rested upon the previously separated rest, which may be imprinted with advertising, logos or other text and graphics, thus keeping the tips of the chopsticks off the eating surface and free of dirt, debris and germs, as well as keeping the eating surface clean. A method of manufacture of the combination chopsticks and chopstick rest is presented.

Description:
NOTICE OF COPYRIGHTS AND TRADE DRESS 
       [0001]    A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. This patent document may show and/or describe matter which is or may become trade dress of the owner. The copyright and trade dress owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright and trade dress rights whatsoever. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field 
         [0003]    This disclosure relates to chopstick rests. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Chopsticks are common and popular eating utensils, particularly with oriental food dishes. Chopsticks are often made from wood and are packaged in paper sleeves until used and, after use, are many times discarded. 
         [0006]    Chopsticks have two ends, one for holding food and the opposite end for being gripped by the user. However, many less capable people grip their chopsticks at other points, even near the food-holding end. When using chopsticks to dine, the food-holding ends necessarily get covered with sauce and bits of food. In many restaurants, chopstick rests are provided upon which the chopstick tips may be placed in order to avoid soiling the tablecloth and to avoid picking up bacteria or dirt from the table surface. Such chopstick rests are often made from fine woods or porcelains and must be cleaned between uses. These characteristics make them economical to use in only the more expensive restaurants. 
         [0007]    Disposable chopsticks are manufactured in coherent or interconnected pairs, said coherence typically only extending along a short portion of abutting surfaces. When the chopsticks are to be used the coherent portion is forced apart. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a top view of a combination chopstick and rest. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is an elevated plan view of a combination chopstick and rest with a plain rest. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is an elevated plan view of a combination chopstick and rest with a single notch rest. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is an elevated plan view of a combination chopstick and rest with a double-notched rest. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a diagram of how a rest may be separated from chopsticks. 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a diagram of a chopstick rest in use. 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a diagram of a mechanism to create a chopstick rest utilizing a vertical stamping apparatus. 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  is a diagram of a mechanism to create a chopstick rest utilizing a continuous rolling stamping apparatus. 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  is a top view of a combination chopstick and rest wherein the rest is an extended length of material narrower than the pair of chopsticks and contiguous solely to a single chopstick 
           [0017]      FIG. 10  is a top view of a combination chopstick and rest wherein the rest is an extended length of material narrower than the pair of chopsticks and contiguous to their midpoint. 
           [0018]      FIG. 11  is an elevated plan view of a combination chopstick and rest wherein the simple rest is an extended length of material narrower than the pair of chopsticks and contiguous solely to a single chopstick 
           [0019]      FIG. 12  is an elevated plan view of a combination chopstick and rest wherein the rest is an extended length of material narrower than the pair of chopsticks and contiguous to their midpoint. 
           [0020]      FIG. 13  is an elevated plan view of a combination chopstick and rest wherein the rest has a logo imprinted thereon. 
       
    
    
       [0021]    Throughout this description, elements appearing in figures are assigned three-digit reference designators, where the most significant digit is the figure number and the two least significant digits are specific to the element. An element that is not described in conjunction with a figure may be presumed to have the same characteristics and function as a previously-described element having a reference designator with the same least significant digits. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0022]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a disposable chopsticks unit  100  is composed of a pair of coherent sticks  110  and  120 . The sticks  110 ,  120  may be formed from a single piece of wood with the longitudinal cut  101  extending a short way. Such chopsticks may be produced utilizing methods and apparatuses such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,840,208, U.S. Pat. No. 4,840,015, U.S. Pat. No. 5,373,880. Alternatively, the sticks may be made of another rigid material, such as plastic, composite, metal or combinations. An additional rectangular length  140  has been allowed on the single piece of wood or other material in order to function as the chopstick rest. A groove  130  has been made perpendicular to the longitudinal cut  101  and placed so that the desired length of the rest  140  may be separated from the chopsticks  110  and  120 . A corresponding, identical groove has been made on the opposite side of the single piece of wood or other material from the groove  130  shown but is not visible in this view. Alternatively, the grooves  130  may be replaced by scoring or another method of providing a weakening of the chopsticks unit  100  material so that the additional rectangular length  140  may be readily detached from the chopsticks  110  and  120 . 
         [0023]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , an elevated plan view of disposable chopsticks unit  100  is shown. This view reveals the two corresponding grooves  130 ,  131  which provide a means for separating the chopstick rest  140  from the chopsticks  110  and  120 . The depth of the grooves  130 ,  131  should be such as to leave an amount of material sufficient to ensure that the chopstick rest  140  remains attached to the chopsticks  110  and  120  during processing, packaging, shipment and storage, but is thin enough that a person can break off the chopstick rest  140  cleanly and easily. The amount of strength needed may be based on average person, a weak adult, a child, a senior citizen or some other reference. The chopstick rest  140  shown comprises a smooth, flat rectangular piece of wood or other material. Both large rectangular faces of this material may be used for printing of advertisements, logos or other desired text or graphics. 
         [0024]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , an elevated plan view of disposable chopsticks unit  100  is shown. The chopstick rest  140  shown has a small groove or indentation  300  stamped or cut into it. This groove or indentation  300  may be made large enough to serve as a catch area for the tips of the chopsticks  110  and  120  when they are laid upon the rest. 
         [0025]    Referring now to  FIG. 4 , an elevated plan view of disposable chopsticks unit  100  is shown. The chopstick rest  140  shown has two small grooves or indentations  400  and  410  stamped or cut into it. These grooves or indentations are made large enough to serve as catch areas for the tips of the chopsticks  110  and  120  when they are laid upon the rest. 
         [0026]      FIG. 5  illustrates a method of separating the chopstick rest  140  from the chopsticks  110  and  120 . Holding the disposable chopsticks unit  100  in one hand  510 , the user grasps the chopstick rest  140  in the opposite hand  520 . By applying a firm downward motion on the chopstick rest  140 , the rest breaks free of the chopsticks unit  100  along the grooves  130 ,  131 . The motion may alternatively be upward, or in a direction compatible with the grooves  130 ,  131 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 6  illustrates the manner of usage of the chopstick rest  140 . As is shown, the chopsticks  110  and  120  are laid upon the chopstick rest  140  in such a manner as to keep the tips of the chopsticks  110  and  120  elevated above the table surface. In the case of the chopstick rest  140  having a single groove  300  ( FIG. 3 ) or two grooves  400  and  410  ( FIG. 4 ), the tips of the chopsticks  110  and  120  may be laid within these grooves if desired. 
         [0028]    Referring now to  FIG. 7 , an apparatus is shown for the impression of the grooves  130 ,  131  into the chopsticks unit  100 . The chopsticks units  100  may be continuously fed utilising an apparatus such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,373,880. A set of friction rollers  720  laid out in a linear set of counter-rotating pairs propels the chopstick unit  100  through the apparatus. Alternatively, the friction rollers  720  may be replaced by another means of propelling the chopsticks unit  100  through the apparatus, such as an intermittent conveyer belt or grapplers. At a given point in the apparatus, a laser diode  740  is located adjacent to a pair of stamping tools,  700  and  710 , which are situated directly opposite of each other above and below the travel path of the chopstick unit  100 . Opposite the laser diode  740  is a photosensor  730 , which is sensitive to the wavelength of the laser diode  740 . The photosensor  730  activates a timing circuit upon detecting light from the laser diode  740 . Once the photosensor  730  no longer detects light from the laser diode  740 , because the chopsticks unit  100  has now obstructed the laser beam  750 , the timing circuit counts a sufficient amount of time for enough of the chopsticks unit  100  to have passed the laser beam to create a chopstick rest  140  of the desired length. The timing circuit controls single shot actuators for the stamping tools  700  and  710 . When this circuit is closed, the single shot actuators activate a hydraulic system that drives the stamping tools with sufficient force to impress the grooves  130  into the chopsticks unit  100  to the desired depth and shape. The single shot actuators, immediately after the groove has been impressed, release the hydraulic system so that the stamping tools return to normal position. When the whole length of the chopsticks unit  100  has passed by the laser beam  750 , the beam is no longer obstructed and will again be detected by the photosensor  730  whereupon the timing circuit is reactivated and the process proceeds again as described above. 
         [0029]    Instead of the stamping tools  700  and  710  high speed milling bits or other cutting or sawing devices could be used. 
         [0030]    Referring now to  FIG. 8 , an apparatus is shown for the impression of the grooves  130 ,  131  into the chopsticks unit  100 . A set of friction rollers  820  laid out in a linear set of counter-rotating pairs, propels the chopstick unit  100  through the apparatus. Alternatively, the friction rollers  820  may be replaced by another means of propelling the chopsticks unit through the apparatus, such as an intermittent conveyer belt or grapplers. As the chopstick unit  100  moves linearly through the apparatus, it passes between a set of rollers  800  and  810  each of which are fitted with a properly shaped stamp  801  and  811 . The rollers  800  and  810  are of such a diameter that as they revolve the stamps  801  and  811  come into contact with the chopstick unit  100  so that the stamps  801  and  811  impress the grooves  130 ,  131  at a point which creates the chopstick rest  140  of the desired length. Mathematically, the rollers  800  and  810  should be of a diameter D such that if the distance from a set of grooves  130 ,  131  on a given chopstick unit  100  to the set of grooves  130 ,  131  on the next chopstick unit  100  moving through the apparatus is L, then D=L/π. The stamps  801  and  811  are of sufficient sharpness, and the pressure of the rollers  800  and  810  is of sufficient strength to impress the grooves  130 ,  131  into the chopsticks unit  100  to the desired depth and shape. 
         [0031]      FIG. 9  shows an alternative configuration wherein the chopstick rest  900  is formed by material which is narrower than the coherent chopsticks  110  and  120  and the material is contiguous with one of the chopsticks  120 . 
         [0032]      FIG. 10  shows an alternative configuration wherein the chopstick rest  1000  is formed by material which is narrower than the coherent chopsticks  110  and  120  and the material is contiguous with the midpoint of the chopsticks. 
         [0033]      FIG. 11  shows an elevated plan view of the alternative configuration of  FIG. 9 . This view reveals the two corresponding grooves  130 ,  131  which provide a means for separating the chopstick rest  900  from the chopstick  120 . 
         [0034]      FIG. 12  shows an elevated plan view of the alternative configuration of  FIG. 10 , This view reveals the two corresponding grooves  130 ,  131  which provide a means for separating the chopstick rest  1000  from the chopsticks  110  and  120 . 
         [0035]      FIG. 13  shows an elevated plan view of disposable chopsticks unit  100  with a logo  1300  printed on one face of the chopstick rest  140 . One of any of the faces of the chopstick rest  140  may have at least one of a logo, text and graphics printed thereon. This would allow for restaurants or other business to realize a form of advertising from the chopstick rest  140 . 
         [0036]    The grooves, indentations or scoring  130 ,  131  could be stamped, cut or incised into the chopsticks unit  100  as an additional production process following the creation of the finished chopsticks unit  100  as per U.S. Pat. No. 5,373,880 or similar production processes. 
         [0037]    Closing Comments 
         [0038]    Throughout this description, the embodiments and examples shown should be considered as exemplars, rather than limitations on the apparatus and procedures disclosed or claimed. Although many of the examples presented herein involve specific combinations of method acts or system elements, it should be understood that those acts and those elements may be combined in other ways to accomplish the same objectives. With regard to flowcharts, additional and fewer steps may be taken, and the steps as shown may be combined or further refined to achieve the methods described herein. Acts, elements and features discussed only in connection with one embodiment are not intended to be excluded from a similar role in other embodiments. 
         [0039]    As used herein, “plurality” means two or more. As used herein, a “set” of items may include one or more of such items. As used herein, whether in the written description or the claims, the terms “comprising”, “including”, “carrying”, “having”, “containing”, “involving”, and the like are to be understood to be open-ended, i.e., to mean including but not limited to. Only the transitional phrases “consisting of” and “consisting essentially of”, respectively, are closed or semi-closed transitional phrases with respect to claims. Use of ordinal terms such as “first”, “second”, “third”, etc., in the claims to modify a claim element does not by itself connote any priority, precedence, or order of one claim element over another or the temporal order in which acts of a method are performed, but are used merely as labels to distinguish one claim element having a certain name from another element having a same name (but for use of the ordinal term) to distinguish the claim elements. As used herein, “and/or” means that the listed items are alternatives, but the alternatives also include any combination of the listed items.