Foldable eating utensil

Details Foldable eating utensil Foldable eating utensil

2001-08-10

2004-06-22

Shoap, Allan N. (Department: 3724)

Cutlery

Spoons

C030S322000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06751873

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to an eating utensil and more particularly to a utensil adapted to accompany retail food products for use in consumption thereof
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
An example of a foldable eating utensil is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,615,120 issued to Brett E. Newman on Oct. 7, 1986 for a Collapsible Spoon. The collapsible spoon of that patent may be made of plastic material and has a foldable handle with a single hinge joint. The handle is releaseably retained in a non-folded eating position by a releasable interlock. Further interlocking parts are provided for retaining the handle parts in alignment when the handle is folded back on itself.
Another example of a folding eating utensil is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,826,033 issued to Kou Satoh on May 2, 1989 for a Folding Food Take-Out Device. The food take-out device includes a handle having parts that fold about axes transverse to the handle and parts that fold about axes parallel to the elongated dimension of the handle. Ribbed projections are used to retain the handle sections in their adjusted positions.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a primary object of this invention to provide an eating utensil to accompany a retail food product. It is another object of this invention to provide a foldable eating utensil, which is economical to manufacture. It is a further and more particular object of this invention to provide an improved one piece plastic eating utensil with a food holding section and a handle permitting adjustment between folded positions to permit packaging in one position and use for food consumption in the other.
These as well as other objects are provided by a foldable eating utensil, which includes a handle having a pair of flexible hinges permitting the handle to be folded about a first hinge to a compact storage position in which a substantial part of the handle is in juxtaposed relation to the food holding section or folded back on itself about a second hinge to an eating position. In a third position the handle is not folded and extends in an aligned manner from the food holding section. The handle is detented in the storage and eating positions.


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