AU2015101650A4 - Bowl and drinking device - Google Patents

Abstract

A bowl for assisting a child to eat and drink comprises a base and a wall extending upwardly from the base. The bowl further comprises a rim formed at a distal end of the wall from the base such that the rim forms an opening. The bowl also comprises a first and a second handle positioned substantially opposite the first handle. Each handle extends outwardly and downwardly from the rim such that an end of each handle is in alignment with the base. A clip is attachable to the rim of the bowl for receiving a drinking device. ~ct~ ______140 120 .. jt N ~ 125 130 155 10513

Description

1 TITLE BOWL AND DRINKING DEVICE FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a bowl and drinking device assembly, particularly suited for assisting infants and children to eat and drink. BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION It is common to use spoons, forks and knives to scoop, pick up and cut food. However, in many instances, this seemingly simple act can be incredibly difficult for young children who have yet to develop and refine their fine motor skills. Various inventions have been proposed in the prior art for handheld apparatus and utensils to make the feeding of children easier and safer. However, even such specially designed apparatus and utensils are often dropped and/or are not easily used by infants still lacking the necessary motor skills. Parents and carers often attempt to have children learn to self-feed using spoons and forks which are not designed for use by small children. Also, smaller utensils may be put into a child's mouth and have the potential to become lodged in the child's throat. Other attempts to solve this problem include having children consume food including liquids from bowls using straws. However, in many instances 2448439vl 2 the straw does not allow the child to suck up all of the contents of the bowl and/or small food particles become lodged in the narrow opening of the straw and the straw becomes blocked. Some bowls are unstable, which present a safety hazard and many bowls are otherwise not particularly suited for use by infants and small children. OBJECT OF THE INVENTION It is a preferred object of the present invention to provide an improved bowl and drinking device assembly that addresses, or at least ameliorates one or more of the aforementioned problems of the prior art and/or provides a useful commercial alternative. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one aspect, although not necessarily the only aspect or the broadest aspect, the invention resides in a bowl comprising: a base; a wall extending upwardly from the base; a rim formed at a distal end of the wall from the base, wherein the rim forms an opening; and a first handle and a second handle extending outwardly and downwardly from the rim such that an end of each handle is in alignment with the base. 2448439vl 3 Preferably, the first handle is positioned substantially opposite the second handle. Preferably, the bowl further comprises a clip attachable to the rim of the bowl, wherein the clip receives a drinking device. Suitably, at least one recess is formed in the clip and at least one projection is formed in the bowl, wherein the at least one projection and the at least one recess are engageable to attach the clip to the bowl. Alternatively, at least one recess is formed in the rim and at least one projection is formed in the clip, wherein the at least one projection and the at least one recess are engageable to attach the clip to the bowl. Preferably, the clip comprises an aperture for receiving and engaging the drinking device to secure the drinking device at a predetermined angle and/or at a predetermined depth relative to the bowl when the clip is attached to the bowl. Preferably, the rim defines a substantially elliptical shape tapered on one side to form a spout. Further features and/or aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS By way of example only, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the 2448439vl 4 accompanying figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like integers. In the drawings: FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a bowl according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of the bowl of FIG. 1 with an external base portion of the bowl removed; FIG. 3 illustrates an underside view of the bowl of FIG. 2; FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of the external base portion of the bowl of FIG. 1; FIG. 5 illustrates an underside view of the external base portion of the bowl shown in FIG. 4; FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view illustrating an interior surface of the external base portion shown in FIG 4; FIG. 7 illustrates a plan view of the bowl of FIG. 1; FIG. 8 illustrates another side view of the bowl of FIG. 2; FIG. 9 illustrates a perspective view of a clip according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 10 illustrates a side view of the clip of FIG. 9; FIG. 11 illustrates an underside view of the clip of FIG. 9; FIG. 12 illustrates a sectional view of the clip of FIG. 9; FIG. 13A illustrates a side view of a drinking device according to an embodiment of the present invention; 2448439vl 5 FIG. 13B illustrates a sectional view of the drinking device of FIG. 13A; FIG. 14 shows a perspective view of a bowl and drinking device assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, including the bowl of FIG. 1, the clip of FIG. 8 and the drinking device of FIGS. 13A and 13B; and FIG. 15 illustrates a perspective view of the bowl of FIG. 1 with a lid attachment. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that minor deviations from the symmetrical layout of components as illustrated in the drawings will not detract from the proper functioning of the disclosed embodiments of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The present invention relates to a bowl for assisting children to eat and drink. Elements of the invention are illustrated in concise outline form in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are necessary to understand the embodiments of the present invention, without cluttering the disclosure with excessive detail that will be obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art in light of the present invention. In this patent specification, adjectives such as first and second, left and right, front and back, top and bottom, etc., are used solely to define one element or method step from another element or method step without necessarily requiring a specific relative position or sequence that is described by the adjectives. Words such as "comprises" or "includes" are not used to 2448439vl 6 define an exclusive set of elements or method steps. Rather, such words merely define a minimum set of elements or method steps included in a particular embodiment of the present invention. According to a first aspect, the present invention is defined as a bowl. The bowl comprises a base and a wall that extends upwardly from the base. The bowl further comprises a rim formed at a distal end of the wall from the base. The rim forms an opening in the bowl. Further, the bowl comprises a first handle and a second handle extending outwardly and downwardly from the rim such that an end of each handle is in alignment with the base. In preferred embodiments, the second handle is positioned substantially opposite the first handle. FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a bowl 100 comprising a base 105 and a wall 110. The wall 110 extends upwardly from the base 105. The bowl 100 further comprises a rim 115 formed at a distal end of the wall 110 from the base 105. The rim 115 forms an opening 140 of the bowl 100. The opening 140 is suitable for receiving foodstuffs, such as a soup, which are contained by the wall 110 and base 105 of the bowl 100. The bowl 100 comprises a first handle 120 and a second handle 125 which is positioned substantially opposite the first handle 120. Each handle 120, 125 extends outwardly and downwardly from the rim 115 such that an end 130, 135 of each handle 120, 125 is in alignment with the base 105. The first and second handles 120, 125 provide additional stability to the bowl 100 in addition to allowing a child to pick up the bowl 100 and drink the contents without having to touch the potentially hot wall 110 of the bowl 100. 2448439vl 7 The bowl 100 further comprises a projection 145 formed in the rim 115. In some embodiments, the projection 145 is engageable with a recess on a clip to attach the clip to the bowl 100 for attachment of a drinking device as described in further detail herein. It will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that in some alternative embodiments the bowl 100 can comprise a recess, rather than a projection, for engaging with a suitable projection on the clip. In some embodiments, the bowl 100 comprises an external base portion 150 which provides extra stability and grip for the bowl 100 when resting on a surface. The external base portion 150 can be secured to the base 105 of the bowl 100 by any suitable means known in the art. In some embodiments, the external base portion 150 is releasably attached to the base 105 of the bowl 100. In other embodiments, the external base portion 150 and the bowl 100 are integrally formed. The external base portion 150 can be formed from polypropylene, thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) or another suitable rubber or silicon material, which provides additional stability and grip for the bowl 100 on the surface upon which the bowl rests. This reduces the risk of a child knocking the bowl over during use. FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of the bowl 100 without the external base portion 150 attached. In some embodiments, the base 105 can comprise one or more ridges 155, which can be textured, for receiving one or more ridges of a complementary shape therebetween provided on an inner surface of the external base portion 150, as shown in FIG. 6. 2448439vl 8 The external base portion 150 is shown separately in FIGS. 4-6, and is described in further detail with reference to FIGS. 3-6. FIG. 3 illustrates an underside view of the bowl 100 without the external base portion 150 attached. As shown, the textured ridges 155 provided in the base 105 of the bowl are substantially elliptical and are matched in shape and spacing by the channels 151 in the inner surface 152 of the external base portion 150, as shown in FIG. 6. FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of the external base portion 150. As shown, the external base portion 150 has a substantially flat foot 165 for resting flush with a surface. FIG. 5 illustrates an underside view of the external base portion 150. Foot 165 has a shape reminiscent of the shape of the rim 115, but rotated through 90 degrees when the external base portion 150 is attached to the base 105 of the bowl 100. FIG. 6 illustrates a partial sectional view illustrating an interior surface 152 of the external base portion 150 shown in FIG 4. Interior surface 152 comprises a plurality of channels 151 for receiving the one or more ridges 155 of the base 105. FIG. 7 illustrates a plan view of the bowl 100 shown in FIG. 1. In some embodiments, the rim 115 defines a substantially elliptical shape tapered in a curved manner on one side to form a spout 160. Advantageously, this provides an effective guide for a child who wishes to drink from the bowl 100. In use, the child grips the handles 120, 125 and guides the spout 160 to their mouth to drink the contents of the bowl 100. 2448439vl 9 FIG. 8 illustrates another side view of the bowl 100 without the external base portion 150 attached and showing the first handle 120. Handle 120 extends upwardly, outwardly and downwardly from the rim 115 in an arching manner such that an end 130 of the handle 120 is in alignment with the base 105, such that the handle 120 provides additional support for the bowl 100. Second handle 125 is formed in a similar manner and provides additional support for the bowl on the opposite side. Hence, the handles 120, 125 reduce the risk of the bowl 100 being tipped over to the left or to the right during use. However, handles 120, 125 do not inhibit use of the spout 160 of the bowl. FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 illustrate respectively a perspective view, a side view and an underside view of a clip 200. The clip 200 is attachable to, and detachable from the rim 115 of the bowl 100 shown in FIG. 1. The clip 200 comprises a body portion 205 and a lip portion 210 extending from the body 205. The lip portion 210 assists in securing the clip 200 to the bowl 100. As shown, the lip portion 210 extends downwardly, inwardly and then outwardly from the body portion 205. A narrowing of a gap between the body portion 205 and the lip portion 210 further assists in retaining the clip 200 in place and attached to the bowl. A recess 215 formed in the body portion 205. The recess 215 is of a shape similar to the projection 145 in the rim 115 of the bowl 100 such that the recess 215 and projection 145 are engageable. It will be appreciated that the recess 215 could alternatively be a projection which is engageable with a corresponding recess formed in the rim 115 of the bowl 100. 2448439vl 10 The clip 200 comprises an aperture 220 at least partially through which a drinking device is passed. An interior surface of the aperture 220 includes one or more projections 225 which provide an engagement means for the drinking device, as described further herein with reference to FIG 12. FIG. 12 illustrates a sectional view of the clip 200. The projection 225 extends around a circumference of the aperture 220 and is engaged between two projections on a drinking device, as described further with reference to FIGS 13A and 13B. The angle of the aperture 220 relative to the body portion 205 of the clip 200 predetermines the angle of the drinking device relative to the bowl 100 when the drinking device is inserted into the aperture 220 and the clip 200 is attached to the bowl 100. FIG. 13A illustrates a side view of a drinking device 300. The drinking device 300 is of a suitable width to allow liquids and small food particles to be drawn through. As shown, a surface of the drinking device 300 includes two projections 305, 310 with a space therebetween which engages the projection 225 of the clip 200 shown in FIGS. 9-12. In use, a parent or carer inserts the drinking device 300 into the aperture 220 of the clip 200. In use, this ensures a child cannot remove the drinking device 300 from the clip 200. Advantageously, this provides additional safety for a child as they are unable to accidentally splatter themselves or others with the contents of the bowl 100 which may be hot and could cause burns. The drinking device 300 includes a first end 315 for inserting into a child's mouth and a second end 320 for inserting into the contents of the bowl 100 shown in FIG. 1. In some embodiments, the drinking device 300 is formed from silicon. However, it will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that 2448439vl 11 the drinking device 300 can be formed from any suitable material for such devices such as thermoplastic elastomer, polypropylene or other food grade materials. FIG. 13B illustrates a sectional view of the drinking device 300. The drinking device 300 comprises a shaft 325 which extends from a first end 315 to a second end 320 of the drinking device 300. The shaft 325 facilitates transport of the foods in the bowl 100 of FIG. 1 from the bowl 100 to a child's mouth. As shown, the drinking device 300 is considerably wider than a conventional drinking straw and has a flattened oval shape rather than a circular shape. This increased diameter of the shaft 325 of the drinking device 300 allows both liquids and small solid food particles (such as meat and vegetables in a soup) to be transported along the shaft 325. FIG. 14 illustrates a perspective view of the bowl 100, the clip 200 and the drinking device 300 assembled together. In use, the clip 200 receives and engages the drinking device 300 and the clip 200 attaches to the rim 115 of the bowl 100. The clip 200 further secures the drinking device 300 at a predetermined depth relative to the bowl 100 when the clip 200 is attached to the bowl 100. Advantageously, the positioning of the drinking device allows a child to suck up a substantial amount of the contents of the bowl without the need to adjust or remove the drinking device 300 by hand. FIG. 15 illustrates a perspective view of the bowl 100 with a lid attachment 170. The lid attachment 170 has a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the rim 115 of the bowl 100. The lid attachment comprises an edge which has a recess (not shown) formed therein so that lid attachment 170 can be secured to the bowl 100. The recess of the lid attachment 170 2448439vl 12 corresponds to the shape of the projection 145 formed in the rim 115 of the bowl 100. As shown, the lid attachment 170 has an aperture 175. The aperture 175 allows steam from any hot liquids contained in the bowl 100 to escape as well as facilitating the insertion of additional foods to the bowl 100. In this embodiment, the aperture 175 comprises a plurality of slits radiating from a central location of the lid 170. Advantageously, the bowl 100, when fitted with the lid attachment 170 as herein described, can be microwaved as the aperture 175 prevents unwanted pressure and steam build up within the bowl 100. It will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that the lid attachment 170 can be formed without an aperture so that the bowl 100 can be transported without any contents being spilled. The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that the prior art forms part of the common general knowledge. The above description of various embodiments of the present invention is provided for purposes of description to one of ordinary skill in the related art. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to a single disclosed embodiment. Numerous alternatives and variations to the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art of the above teaching. Accordingly, this patent specification is intended to embrace all alternatives, modifications and variations of the present invention that have been discussed herein, and other embodiments that fall within the spirit and scope of the above described invention. 2448439vl

Claims (5)

1. A bowl comprising: a base; a wall extending upwardly from the base; a rim formed at a distal end of the wall from the base, wherein the rim forms an opening; and a first handle and a second handle extending at least outwardly and downwardly from the rim such that an end of each handle is in alignment with the base.

2. A bowl in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a clip attachable to the rim of the bowl, wherein the clip receives a drinking device.

3. A bowl in accordance with claim 2, wherein at least one recess is formed in the rim and at least one projection is formed in the clip, or wherein at least one recess is formed in the clip and at least one projection is formed in the bowl, and wherein the at least one projection and the at least one recess are engageable.

4. A bowl in accordance with claim 3, wherein the clip comprises an aperture for receiving and engaging the drinking device to secure the drinking device at a predetermined angle and at a predetermined depth relative to the bowl when the clip is attached to the bowl. 2448439vl 14

5. A bowl in accordance with any one of claims 1-4, wherein the rim defines a substantially elliptical shape tapered on one side to form a spout. 2448439vl