Abstract:
An eating utensil such as a disposable plastic fork, spoon or knife, or combination thereof, is combined with a dental cleaning device such as a toothpick and/or a dental flosser for personal use after eating in a location where dental hygiene items may not be otherwise available. In some embodiments the dental cleaning device may be permanently attached to the eating utensil, which can serve as a handle for using the dental cleaning device; in other embodiments the dental cleaning device may be removed in a snap-off manner for convenient deployment independent of the eating utensil, optionally configured with a thumb-finger tab.

Description:
PRIORITY 
       [0001]    Priority is claimed for provisional patent application 06/1,133,106 filed Jun. 25, 2008. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention is in the fields of eating utensils and dental cleaning devices, more particularly the invention relates to an eating utensil that incorporates a dental cleaning device. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Eating activity often involves the use of disposable eating utensils, such as plastic forks, spoons and/or knives, typically at away-from-home locations where devices for teeth cleaning after eating are unavailable. Such eating activity may include planned picnics, picnics-on-the-go, fast food, takeout, lunch boxes, bagged lunches at work, eating-on-the-go, delivered specialties, catered food engagements, entertainment events, birthdays, cocktail-parties, weddings and other parties. 
       DISCUSSION OF KNOWN ART 
       [0004]    U.S. design Pat. D254,239 to Julius for a COMBINED FORK AND SEPARATABLE TOOTHPICK shows the ornamental design for the subject matter. 
         [0005]    U.S. design Pat. D463,221 to Sanders for EATING UTENSIL WITH TOOTHPICK INCORPORATED THEREIN shows a fork, spoon and knife each with a toothpick located on the front side near the handle end; presumably the toothpick is removably attached in each case. 
         [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 2,877,547 for COMBINATION TOOTHPICK AND STIRRING OR EATING IMPLEMENT to Feaster discloses wooden spoons, forks and stirring sticks configured with knockout-removable toothpicks. 
         [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 2,072,777 to Takahashi for CUTLERY shows a spoon and a fork each with a pair of toothpicks removably attached on the rear side. 
         [0008]    U.S. Pat. No. 3,664,020 to Hammond et al for COMBINATION SPOON AND TOOTHPICK shows and discloses a toothpick and spoon combination including a handle portion with a separable toothpick member for use after eating. The combination utilizes support members from which the toothpick may be broken away. 
       OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    It is a primary object of the present invention to provide disposable plastic utensils incorporating a dental hygene device such as a toothpick and/or dental floss for maintaining good oral health at eating events where dental hygene devices may not be otherwise available 
         [0010]    It is a further object to provide an embodiment including a toothpick configured with a hooked or otherwise offset point for reaching and cleaning regions of the teeth that are virtually inaccessible with a conventional straight toothpick. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    The foregoing objects have been met in the present invention wherein a plastic spoon, fork, knife of combination thereof is equipped with a removable dental cleaning device such as a toothpick and/or mounted dental floss for use after eating in a location where dental hygiene items may not be otherwise available. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    The above and further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following description taken with the accompanying drawings in which each drawing represents an embodiment of the present invention: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  shows a front view of a fork configured with an attached curved toothpick and an adjacent removable snap-off guard tab. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  depicts the fork of  FIG. 1  showing a user&#39;s hands in process of removing the snap-off guard tab. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  depicts a fork with a snap-off curved toothpick that includes a thumb-finger grip. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  depicts a fork with a snap-off toothpick that includes an attached thumb-finger grip. 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  depicts a fork with an attached toothpick protected by a snap-off guard portion. 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  depicts a fork with a snap-off guarded curved toothpick that includes an attached thumb-finger grip. 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  depicts a fork with a snap-off curved toothpick that includes a small attached thumb-finger grip. 
           [0020]      FIG. 8  depicts a fork with a snap-off straight toothpick. 
           [0021]      FIG. 9  depicts a fork with a snap-off guarded straight toothpick. 
           [0022]      FIG. 10  depicts a fork with an unguarded attached ready-to-use curved toothpick oriented longitudinally. 
           [0023]      FIG. 11  depicts a fork with an unguarded attached ready-to-use curved toothpick oriented laterally. 
           [0024]      FIG. 12  depicts a fork configured with an attached ready-to-use flosser. 
           [0025]      FIG. 13  depicts a fork configured with a snap-off combined flosser and toothpick. 
           [0026]      FIG. 14  depicts a fork configured with a snap-off guarded toothpick combined with a flosser. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0027]      FIG. 1  depicts a fork  10  configured with an attached curved toothpick  10 A, protected on one side by an adjacent removable guard tab  10 B that is made to snap off at score line  10 C, where the plastic material is made thinner as required to enable the snap-off capability. 
         [0028]      FIG. 2  shows a user&#39;s left hand  12 A holding a fork  10  of  FIG. 1  while the right hand  12 B is shown in process of snapping off the guard tab  10 B at score line  10 C, to be removed and discarded, leaving the curved toothpick  10 A ready to use, attached to fork  10  which serves as a handle. 
         [0029]      FIG. 3  depicts a fork  14  configured with a snap-off curved toothpick  14 A, extending longitudinally from the handle. In a primary version, toothpick  14 A is made readily removable by snapping off at score line  14 B, providing the toothpick separately with a thumb-finger grip. In a secondary version, score line  14 B is made relatively stiff so that toothpick  14 A can be considered ready-to-use while remaining attached to fork  14  which serves as a handle. In still another version ( FIG. 10 ), score line  14 B is omitted. 
         [0030]      FIG. 4  depicts a fork  16  configured with a snap-off portion that includes toothpick  16 A attached to a grip tab  16 C for gripping between thumb and finger to facilitate manipulating the toothpick  16 A. 
         [0031]      FIG. 5  depicts a fork  18  configured with an attached toothpick  18 A that is fully protected by a snap-off guard portion  18 B, which, when removed by snapping off at score lines  18 C (and typically discarded), exposes the toothpick  18 A ready to use, attached to the fork  18  which serves as a handle. 
         [0032]      FIG. 6  depicts a fork  20  configured with a fully guarded snap-off curved toothpick  20 A which, when snapped off at score lines  20 B, includes a thumb-finger grip tab  20 C. 
         [0033]      FIG. 7  depicts a fork  22  configured with a partially-guarded snap-off curved toothpick  22 A which, when snapped off at score line  22 B, includes a triangular portion that can serve as a thumb-finger grip tab. 
         [0034]      FIG. 8  depicts a fork  24  configured with a partially-guarded snap-off straight toothpick  24 A that snaps off at score line  24 B. 
         [0035]      FIG. 9  depicts a fork  26  with a fully guarded straight toothpick  26 A that snaps off at score line  26 B, leaving the fork end  26 C in place with its original outline shape intact. 
         [0036]      FIG. 10  depicts a fork  28  with an unguarded attached curved toothpick  28 A, oriented longitudinally, ready to use. 
         [0037]      FIG. 11  depicts a fork  30  with an unguarded attached curved toothpick  30 A, oriented laterally, ready to use. 
         [0038]      FIG. 12  depicts a fork  32  in combination with an attached flosser  32 A, ready to use. The floss in flosser  32 A can be molded into the plastic at manufacture. 
         [0039]      FIG. 13  depicts a fork  34  in combination with a flosser  34 A, similar to flosser  32 A in  FIG. 12 , combined with a partially guarded toothpick  34 B. The combined flosser  32  and toothpick  34 B can be snapped off from fork  34  at score line  34 C with both dental cleaning devices, toothpick  34 B and flosser  34 A, then ready to use. If score line  34 C is made relatively stiff, flosser  34 A, while remaining attached to fork  34 , could be regarded as ready to use with fork  34  serving as a handle. 
         [0040]      FIG. 14  depicts a fork  36  in combination with a flosser  36 A, similar to flosser  32 A in  FIG. 12  and flosser  34 A in  FIG. 13 , combined with a fully guarded toothpick  36 B. The combined flosser  36 A and toothpick  36 B can be snapped off from fork  36  at score lines  36 C with both dental cleaning devices, toothpick  36 B and flosser  36 A, then ready to use separate from fork  36 . If score lines  36 C are made relatively stiff, flosser  36 A, while remaining attached to fork  36 , could be regarded as ready to use with fork  36  serving as a handle. 
         [0041]    In an embodiment similar to that in  FIG. 14 , the cutout region flanking the fully guarded toothpick  36 B could be inverted (i.e. rotated 180 degrees) to appear as in  FIG. 5 . Then the flosser  36 A could be snapped off for use, exposing the toothpick (like  18 A in  FIG. 5 ) ready for use, still attached to the fork  35 , which could serve as a handle for the toothpick. 
         [0042]    While the invention has been shown practiced in the form of a fork as the eating utensil for illustrative purposes, it is to be understood that the invention can be practiced in conjunction with other eating utensils including but not limited to spoons, knives, chopsticks, tongs, and combinations thereof such as a spork combining a spoon and a fork. 
         [0043]    While the invention is directed primarily to an unfulfilled need and expected demand in conjunction with disposable plastic eating utensils which are likely to be popular at picnics and other social or public eating events where regular dental cleaning facilities are unavailable, the invention could be practiced in conjunction with more permanent type eating utensils intended for more general use. The material in the eating utensil can be metal or any material that can provide the break-away feature. As an alternative to the generally one-piece construction shown for the eating utensil, it could be made from a plurality of parts joined by fastenings such as welding or adhesives. 
         [0044]    Standard fork or spoon designs could include, but are not limited to, such features as ribbed-supports and similar structural/cosmetic elements. 
         [0045]    The score lines can vary in configuration, type, shape and depth, i.e. thickness at the thinnest point. As an alternative to making the score lines to break-away, some items could be made to bend-away for use without actually detaching, or to remain sufficiently stiff to utilize the dental cleaning device while still attached to the eating utensil. 
         [0046]    As alternatives to the dental cleaning device being attached to the eating utensil in a permanent or break-away manner with score lines as shown, the invention could be practiced with such attachment made by other fasteners such as temporary glue, magnets, snap-fits, Velcro or the like. It could be arranged for break-away parts to be re-attached. 
         [0047]    In embodiments where the dental cleaning device is a toothpick, extreme sharpness at the working end of the toothpick should be avoided as hazardous; instead the point should be made slightly rounded, sufficient to avoid injury, while still shaped optimally to provide effective cleaning capability. 
         [0048]    The dental cleaning device, shown as a toothpick or flosser, could also include items such as a tooth brush, finger-brush or tongue cleaner integrated into the eating utensil by attachment means such as mold-integration, adhesive or welding, or alternatively bundled in an eating-kit package including one or more eating utensils and/or related items such as a napkin. 
         [0049]    As an alternative to floss where a flosser is shown, a rigid, semi-rigid or flexible thin fin or blade could be provided to clean between and around the teeth. 
         [0050]    As an alternative to the flosser with a piece of floss suspended between two prongs as shown, the floss could be provided stored in the eating utensil body, attached loose thereto or bundle-wrapped. 
         [0051]    For embodiments such as those shown in  FIGS. 3 ,  10  and  11  where toothpick extends unguarded, a lid or cap of some kind could be included for use as a cover or sheath. 
         [0052]    The dental cleaning device could further provide an appropriately designed rough or raised surface, located on its surface or on that of the eating utensil, that could aid in the removal of debris located on the inner walls of the teeth. The debris removal would occur on the insertion and removal of the dental cleaning device. 
         [0053]    As an alternative to incorporating the dental cleaning device within or directly attached to the eating utensil, one or more cleaning device and one or more eating utensil could be included separately side-by-side in sheet of plastic made and arranged to enable break-away removal for use. 
         [0054]    Supplemental items such as dental floss, tissue paper or mouth wash could be provided either separately, stored within or attached to the eating utensil body in some manner, optionally bundle-wrapped. 
         [0055]    The invention may be embodied and practiced in other specific forms without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description; and all variations, substitutions and changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.