CN102984973A - Baby spoon - Google Patents

Abstract

An infant scoop includes an elongated member having a first end and a second end, the first end having at least one scooping element, the second end of the elongated member containing a handle, the scooping element may be a flange mounted perpendicular to the elongated member, a gripping surface of the scooping element may be inclined or declined toward the elongated member, and a flange baffle may separate the handle from the scooping element.

Description

baby spoon

inventor:

Bilal M. Matari)

claim of priority

This application claims priority to US Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 61/309,967, filed March 3, 2010, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. the

This application claims priority to US Patent Application Serial No. 13/012,035, filed January 24, 2011, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. the

technical field

The present invention relates to eating utensils for young children. the

The present invention relates to utensils useful for feeding infants and young children. Babies grow from receiving nutrition through breastfeeding or bottle feeding to solid foods. Solid or viscous liquids such as cheese or purees require more conventional utensils such as spoons. However, typical spoons are not suitable for young children. the

The present invention proposes a utensil that is closer to a feeding bottle or breastfeeding, but holds solid food like a conventional spoon. Solid foods that are normally eaten with a spoon can be scooped up with the flange-like surface of the present invention and then fed. The invention can also help teach young children how to hold and use utensils. The shape and texture of the present invention is similar to a pacifier or breast teat, so the baby feels familiar in the mouth. Therefore, it is softer and more supple than traditional spoons. This familiarity makes it easier for infants to accept solid foods and helps infants transition from bottle or breastfeeding to solid foods. the

Background technique

Related technical notes:

U.S. Patent Application No. 2007/0203450 discloses a device for feeding a young child without suffocating the child, the device comprising a handle member combined with an elongated feeding mesh container, the feeding The mesh container has pores at one end. An annular assembly that is too large to be swallowed fits in the aperture. One end of the handle member has a circularly disposed sealing surface and a fastening member around an outer surface adjacent said end. A closed ring with fastening means around the inner surface is capable of cooperating with the fastening means at the end of the handle. The closure ring has a central aperture sized to snugly receive the container but not to allow passage of the ring assembly. When the closure ring has been tightened at the handle end, the ring assembly will tightly engage the circularly disposed sealing surface on the handle, thereby holding the container in the operative position. the

US Patent Application No. 2004/0194322 discloses a feeding implement that can be used for self-feeding by children (eg toddlers) or disabled individuals. The feeding implement consists of a handle and a delivery portion shaped and adapted to poke into solid foods such as purees and baby cereals. The conveying part has a plurality of protrusions and/or grooves on the surface, thereby increasing its surface area. the

Various appliances are known in the art, but none of them solve all the problems that the invention described herein solves. One embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and will be described in more detail below. the

Contents of the invention

The present invention discloses an eating utensil comprising an elongated member having a first end and a second end. The first end has at least one scooping element. The second end of the elongated member contains a handle. The scooping element may be a flange mounted perpendicularly to the elongated element. The gripping surface of the scooping element may slope or decline towards the elongate element. A flange stop may separate the handle from the scooping element. the

Accordingly, the present invention succeeds in attaining the following desirable and useful benefits and objects, as well as others not mentioned. the

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel feeding utensil. the

Another object of the present invention is to provide a spoon training device. the

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an eating utensil that is easy to use for infants and young children. the

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a spoon utensil that can be used as a pacifier. the

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a device for feeding cheese and purees. the

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a device in which the handle is comfortable to hold and easy to maneuver in a food container or in a child's mouth. the

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a tableware that is novel and fun to use. the

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an eating utensil that allows the introduction of solid food in a gentle and stress-free manner. the

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a food utensil that can also be used as a pacifier or teether. the

Description of drawings

1 and 2 are perspective side views of the present invention. the

Figure 2A is a cross-sectional view of a scooping element. the

Figure 3 is a side view of the invention illustrating angles and tilts. the

Fig. 4 is a front view. the

Fig. 5 is a rear view. the

Figure 5A is an illustration of an alternate embodiment of the present invention. the

Figures 6 and 7 are examples of usage. the

Figure 8 is an illustration of another alternative embodiment of the present invention. the

Figure 9 is an illustration of yet another alternative embodiment of the present invention. the

Figure 10 is an illustration of yet another alternative embodiment of the present invention. the

Detailed ways

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. Like elements in the various figures are identified with like reference numerals. the

Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the present invention. These examples are provided only to illustrate the present invention, and the present invention is not intended to be limited to these examples. In fact, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and changes can be made to the present invention after reading this specification and viewing the accompanying drawings. the

Figures 1 and 2 show perspective views of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a perspective side view viewed from the front of article 10 , while FIG. 2 is a perspective side view viewed from the rear of article 10 . Also shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are the article 10 , the elongated element 20 , the first end 30 , the second end 40 , the scooping element 50 , the handle 60 , the flange 70 , the gripping surface 90 , the gripping space 120 , the width 130 of the scooping element, the length 140 of the elongated element, the conical portion 150 , the base 160 of said conical shape, the side 170 of the first end, and the flange stop 180 . the

Preferably, the present invention acts as a transition between a spoon and a pacifier for feeding semi-solid and solid foods to children. The scooping element 50 is seated on the first end 30 . There may be at least one scooping element 50 . However, preferably there may be two or three scooping elements arranged in a row. the

A preferred embodiment of the scooping element is a flange 70 . Preferably, flange 70 is oval or circular, but may embody any other shape, such as square, oval, triangular, octagonal, tetrahedral or star-shaped. Preferably, the flange 70 can be made of non-toxic soft material, such as plastic, rubber, polymer or silicone. Preferably, the scooping element 50 is strong enough to scoop and carry food, yet soft enough for the ring to bend and flex when pulled from the child's mouth. Since item 10 is intended to be in contact with food, it is highly preferred that the materials used are heat resistant so as not to melt or distort when item 10 is exposed to hot food solids or subjected to high temperatures, such as sanitizing or dishwashing. the

The scooping element 50 is placed on the elongated element 20 and is preferably made integrally with the elongated element 20 , which means that the scooping element should be an extension of the elongated element 20 . Even if the scooping element is added later in the manufacturing process, it should still melt, thus forming the circular base area 94 . The preferred length of the elongate member 20 is preferably between 1 inch and 3 inches, and the width 130 or diameter of the scooping member is preferably between ½ inch and 1 inch. Preferably, article 10 contains at least three flanges 70 . The first oval flange 70 is preferably flush with, or structurally derived from, the first end 30. The flanges 70 located further along the elongate member 20 may be 1/16 inch to 1/2 inch apart. This space may be referred to as a clamping space 120 . The purpose of the clamping space 120 is to permit some food to be accommodated between the clamping surface 90 and the opposing surface 92 . Preferably, a flange 70 surrounds the elongate member 20 . However, in alternative embodiments, the flange may only cover one side 170 , or it may cover only one or a few facets of the elongated member 20 . In another alternative (not shown), the scooping element may contain a vertical protrusion on an alternate side or facet 170 of the elongated element 20 or on the opposite side 170 . In other versions for older children, one or more of the flanges 70 may contain serrated edges (not shown) to more easily cut through food. the

Elongated member 20 is shown having a straight portion 152 and a conical portion 150 . The straight portion 150 may also be referred to as a front portion. Alternatively, the elongate member 20 may be straight or conical throughout. The conical portion 150 forms the handle 60 at the base 160 . The elongate member 20 may preferably be cylindrical, or have rounded side walls 153 . Alternatively, the elongate member 20 may be flat, polygonal or polyhedral, spherical in shape, or oblong such as a football shape. A conical or other shaped elongated member 20 may be preferred over cylindrical or rod-shaped embodiments because it prevents the article 10 from entering the child's mouth too far. the

The second end 40 of the elongated element 20 forms a handle 60 . The handle 60 is detachable from the base 160 of the conical portion 150 by a flange stop 180 . As explained in FIG. 3 , preferably both the flange baffle 180 and the oval flange 70 are oriented 80 perpendicular to the elongate member 20 . Preferably, the flange baffle 180 does not protrude abruptly from the elongate member 20 , but forms a circular base region 162 . the

Preferably, the handle 60 may be oval or spherical. This grip may have a number of advantages over more traditional slim grips. On a functional level, the oval handle 60 can be easily moved from side to side and rotated. These properties may be very desirable when poking food inside a food container, such as a cheese container, or when attempting to feed a fussy or uncooperative child. The small size of the article 10 and the convenient grip 60 also make the device suitable for use by children as it is easy to grasp and manipulate, especially when held by young children. The handle 60 facilitates orienting the article 10 so that the scooping element 50 points directly towards the infant's mouth. Unlike a normal spoon which must maintain the scooping portion in a horizontal position, the present invention can be oriented or twisted in any direction and it will still be able to scoop up solid or semi-solid food. Plus, the wide, oval surface is more comfortable, especially for those with arthritis or carpal tunnel syndrome. Aesthetically, the oval grip 60 is similar in appearance to a typical pacifier and is more recognizable to children than the elongated alternative grip. However, handle 60 may take any other shape, such as an elongated shape, a figurine shape, or any other shape. The grip 60 may also contain soft or friction elements to prevent slipping, or may have a playful design. In another alternative, the handle 60 or elongate member 20 may be hollow, or act as a sound generator. The handle 60 may also embody a large ring or the head of a children's cartoon character. the

Separating the handle 60 from the remainder of the elongated member 20 is a flange stop 180 . The width or diameter of the flange baffle 180 can be between 1 inch and 2.5 inches. Preferably, the rim 184 of the flange baffle 180 contains corner protrusions 182 . Corner protrusions 182 prevent items from rolling sideways on slightly sloped surfaces. With the corner lobes 182 , the flange baffle 180 may appear to be octagonal with the vertices forming the corner lobes 182 . However, a greater or lesser number of vertices may be used. Preferably, the corner protrusions 182 may be made of a soft or even gel-like material such as soft rubber or silicone. Alternatively, the flange baffle 180 may be entirely oval or shaped like a cross baffle. In other alternatives, the corner protrusions 182 may be protrusions extending along the rim 184 . The flange baffle can also be omitted entirely. The flange baffle 180 can serve both function and aesthetics. Flange barrier 180 helps keep the user's hands from getting food when inserting article 10 into a container or a child's mouth. If used by a child, it prevents the child from soiling his or her hands or cuffs when using the article 10 for eating. Flange barrier 180 also keeps out of the child's mouth any germs that may be present on the hands or fingertips of the person using article 10 . Preferably, the handle 60 may have a width 62 between 0.8 inches and 1.8 inches and be generally spherical or oval, as shown. These dimensions and shapes make the handle 60 ideal for handling by infants and young children. the

Parts of the invention may be made of any material including, but not limited to, plastics and resins, including but not limited to plastics, rubber, foam, silicone, ABS, polycarbonate, NorylPVC, polystyrene , ABS/PVC, PVC/acrylic, polysulfone, acrylic, polyethylene, KydexPETG; etc., or quartz; wood; metal, including but not limited to iron, tin, aluminum, copper; rubber, including but not limited to natural rubber, SBR , isoprene rubber, butadiene rubber, and neoprene; or edible materials such as gummies, or any combination or composite of these or other materials and new materials that may be manufactured in the future. The material should be non-toxic and approved for use in food. Portions of article 10 may be fabricated using the same or different materials. Preferably, the front portion 150 and scooping element 50 are made of a soft, flexible and remarkably tear-resistant material that is non-toxic or resistant to exposure to hot or cold food, liquids, edible acids, food or saliva. Does not dissolve or leach toxins. the

FIG. 2A illustrates a cross-sectional view of front portion 152 . Shown are the straight or front portion 152 of the elongated member 20, the scooping member 50, the first end 30, the gripping surface 90, the opposing surface 92, the base region 94, the slope 100 towards the elongated member, and the gripping space 120. Preferably, the scooping element 50 may be a flange 70 . FIG. 2A illustrates the concept that the scooping element should preferably be shaped as an extension of the elongated element 20 . This will possibly ensure that the scooping element 20 cannot be easily torn from the elongated element 20 . The scooping element 50 may contain a base region 94 which may be shaped as a half-pipe. The base region 94 represents the transition from the sidewall 153 of the elongated member 20 to the clamping surface 90 . The semi-tubular seat area 94 is also desirable in terms of simplifying the cleaning process of the scooping element 50 and providing greater access to food within the gripping surface 90 . It is also very preferred that the scooping element 50 is inclined 100 towards the elongated element 20 . This forms a flange 70 having a concave gripping surface 90 for receiving food and a raised opposing surface 92 for forcing scooped food into gripping surface 90 . Alternatively, the scooping element 50 can be completely perpendicular to the elongated element 20 and not contain the base region 94. the

Referring to FIG. 3, there is shown an article 10, an elongated member 20, a first end 30, a second end 40, a scooping member 50, a handle 60, an oval flange 70, a vertical mount 80, a gripping surface 90, an orientation The slope 100 of the elongated element, the clamping space 120, the width 130 of the scooping element, the length 140 of the elongated element, the conical portion 150, the straight portion 152, the side walls 153, the conical base 160, the second A side 170 of one end, and a flange baffle 180 . Also illustrated in FIG. 3 is a stacked orientation 110 of each scooping element 50 , which is also referred to herein as a row of scooping elements 50 . In this orientation, the width of each flange 70 varies 190 from one flange to the next. For example, the flange 70 forming said first end 30 is preferably the widest scooping element possible. Subsequent scooping elements 50 may be slightly narrower, but wider than subsequent scooping elements 50 . This follows that the scooping element 50 closest to the handle 60 is likely to be the narrowest, while the scooping element 50 closest to the first end 30 is preferably likely to be the widest. This allows the scooping element 50 closest to the first end 30 to also be filled with food. Otherwise, the scooping elements furthest from the first end 30 may be filled with food, leaving the scooping elements closer to the first end 30 empty. This may also be desirable, as it may result in a utensil that is somewhat resistant to spills and drips when the first end 30 is pointing downward. This is because food falling from the scooping element closest to the handle 60 can be caught by the gripping surface of the wider scooping element behind it. Alternatively, the variable width pattern 190 may be reversed, ie, the scooping element 50 closest to the handle 60 may be the widest, while the scooping element closest to the first end 30 may be the narrowest. Any other variation of width is also possible. the

Both the flange baffle 180 and the scooping element 70 are vertically mounted or attached 80 relative to the elongated element 170 . The rim 184 can be slightly inclined in the direction of the first end 30 , but can also be completely vertical or inclined in the direction of the second end 40 . the

Figures 4 and 5 illustrate front and rear views of the invention. Note that the rear view is a view facing the handle 60 and the front view is a view facing the first end 30 . Also shown are flange baffle 180 , flange baffle rim 184 , and corner protrusion 182 . The flange baffle 180 in FIG. 3 has a preferred octagonal shape. Alternatively, the flange baffle may be of any shape. the

Figure 5A is an illustration of an alternate embodiment of the present invention. Shown are article 10, elongated element 20, first end 30, second end 40, scooping element 50, handle 60, oval flange 70, downwardly inclined scooping element 75, vertical flange 77, clamping Surface 90 , clamping space 120 , and flange baffle 180 . In the alternative embodiment shown, one scooping element 50 is inclined towards the elongated element 20 in the direction of the flange stop 180 . The downwardly inclined scooping element 75 is inclined towards the inclined scooping element 50 . There may also be a vertical flange 77 disposed between the inclined scooping element 70 and the downward inclined scooping element 75 . Preferably, the vertical flange 77 is flat and narrower than the sloped flange 70 and the descending flange 75 . In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5A, article 10 is capable of holding food securely in place regardless of whether scooping element 50 is pointing upward or downward. Additionally, this embodiment may be more suitable for scraping the side walls of a food container (like the container shown in Figure 6) in both sloped and sloped directions. The vertical flange 77 can assist in retaining the scooped food item inside the retaining space 120 . the

6 and 7 illustrate examples of use of the present invention. Shown are article 10 , elongate member 20 , first end 30 , second end 40 , scooping member 50 , handle 60 , flange stop 180 , food container 200 , food container opening 210 , and child 220 . Article 10 is used by poking scooping element 50 into food container 200 or a plate or any other food container. The narrow, utensil-like profile of article 10 permits easy access to containers of any size, especially containers having narrow openings 210 . For optimum performance, article 10 may be used with viscous liquids or semi-viscous solids such as cheese, purees, applesauce and equivalents, mashed potatoes, cereal, and similar food types. the

Item 10 is first poked into container 200 to fill scooping element 50 with some food. The article 10 is then transferred towards the child's or human mouth, as shown. Once the scooping element 50 enters the mouth, food may be sucked away and released by the flexible scooping element 50 . Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the size of the article 10 permits it to be easily handled and used by a toddler or toddler 220 . Children, especially young children, have a natural inclination to shake objects and often move objects up and down. In addition, children of this age still have a strong urge to suck on food. The present invention can take advantage of these tendencies. The goal is to get the child 220 accustomed to using the invention for eating without assistance and eventually replace the item 10 with a typical spoon or fork. Item 10 can help with this transition and can also be used as a pacifier or teething toy. the

Figure 8 is an illustration of another alternative embodiment of the present invention. Downward-facing baby spoon 300 has flange baffle 180 attached to knob 60 on one side and elongate member 20 on the other side. At the distal end of the elongated element 20 there are a plurality of downwardly sloping flanges 310 , each pair of downwardly sloping flanges 310 being separated by a clamping space 120 . The downwardly sloping flanges 310 each have a raised gripping surface 320 . the

Figure 9 is an illustration of yet another alternative embodiment of the present invention. The spiral baby spoon 400 has a flange baffle 180 attached to the knob 60 on one side and an elongated member 20 on the other side. At the distal end of the elongated element 20 there is a helical flange 410 , wherein the grooves in the helix form the clamping space 120 . the

Figure 10 is an illustration of yet another alternative embodiment of the present invention. The flat baby spoon 500 has a flange 180 attached to the knob 60 on one side and an elongated member 20 on the other side. At the distal end of the elongated element 20 there are a plurality of flat flanges 510 , each pair of flat flanges 510 being separated by a clamping space 120 . The flat flanges 510 each have a flat clamping surface 520 . the

While the invention has been described with some particularity, it is to be understood that the disclosure is illustrative only and numerous changes may be made in details of construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Change. the

Industrial applicability

The present invention may have industrial applicability in the field of tableware and kitchenware, especially in the field of utensils for children and babies. The present invention may also have industrial applicability in fields such as, but not limited to, consumer products, child care, children's restaurants, and the hotel industry. the

Claims (23)

1. A product comprising: an elongated element (20) having a first end (30) and a second end (40); said first end (30), having at least one scooping element (50); a handle (60) disposed on said second end (40); said scooping element is a flange (70) around said first end, said flange being mounted perpendicular to said elongate element; and The gripping surface of the scooping element is inclined towards the elongated element. 2. The article of claim 1, wherein the flange is an oval flange. 3. The article of claim 1 , further comprising at least three scooping elements disposed in a stacked orientation along the elongated element with a clamping space disposed between the scooping elements . 4. The article of claim 3, wherein the width of each scooping element along the elongated element varies relative to each successive scooping element. 5. The article of claim 1, wherein the scooping element is made of a flexible, non-abrasive material. 6. The article of claim 1, wherein the length of the elongated element is between 1 inch and 3 inches, and wherein the maximum width of the scooping element is between ½ inch and 1 inch. 7. The article of claim 1, wherein the elongated member further comprises a conical portion, the base of which forms a handle. 8. The article of claim 1, wherein the scooping element is disposed on a side of the first end. 9. The article of claim 1 , further comprising a flange stop separating the handle from the first end, the flange stop relative to the elongated Components are placed in a vertical orientation. 10. The article of claim 1, wherein the handle is spherical. 11. The article of claim 1, wherein the gripping surface adopts a downwardly inclined orientation. 12. The article of claim 1, wherein the flange is a downwardly sloped flange. 13. The article of claim 1, wherein the flange is a helical flange. 14. The article of claim 1, wherein the flange is a flat flange. 15. An article of manufacture comprising: an elongated element having a first end and a second end; said first end having at least two scooping elements positioned in a stacked orientation along said elongated element; a clamping space positioned between said scooping elements; each of said scooping elements forms an oval flange disposed in a vertical orientation relative to said elongate element; and A handle is disposed on the second end. 16. The article of claim 15, further comprising at least three scooping elements. 17. The article of claim 15, wherein the width of each scooping element along the elongated element varies relative to each successive scooping element. 18. The article of claim 15, wherein the gripping surface of each scooping element is sloped toward the elongated element. 19. The article of claim 18, further comprising the scooping element tilting up and down in a direction that tilts the scooping element. 20. The article of claim 19, further comprising a vertical flange disposed between the downwardly inclined scooping element and the inclined scooping element. 21. The article of claim 15, further comprising a flange stop separating said handle from said first end, said lip stop relative to said elongated Components are placed in a vertical orientation. 22. The article of claim 15, wherein the handle is spherical. 23. The article of claim 15, wherein the length of the elongated element is between 1 inch and 3 inches, and wherein the maximum width of the scooping element is between ½ inch and 1 inch. the

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