U.S. patent application number 10/250751 was filed with the patent office on 2004-03-18 for choptstick of the pincers type.
Invention is credited to Yoon, Suk-Soo.
Application Number | 20040051327 10/250751 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 19704295 |
Filed Date | 2004-03-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040051327 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Yoon, Suk-Soo |
March 18, 2004 |
Choptstick of the pincers type
Abstract
This invention provides chopsticks of pincers type which are
connected in upper ends and have grip, wherein the lower ends close
to each other by pressing the grip and return to original position
by the restoring force. This invention includes the connecting
support connecting each of upper ends of chopsticks and grip
enlarged to have bigger surface area than adjacent part and
positioned between the connecting support and the contact of the
lower ends, wherein intermediate part between the connecting
support and the grip is wider and thinner than the part between the
contacts and the grip.
Inventors: |
Yoon, Suk-Soo; (Kyungki-do,
KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CHERYL H AGRIS PHD
PO BOX 806
PELHAM
NY
10803
US
|
Family ID: |
19704295 |
Appl. No.: |
10/250751 |
Filed: |
July 8, 2003 |
PCT Filed: |
January 7, 2002 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/KR02/00022 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
294/99.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47G 21/103
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
294/099.2 |
International
Class: |
A47G 021/10 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 10, 2001 |
KR |
2001/563 U |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. Chopsticks of pincers type comprising: a connecting support
formed with a slope connecting each upper end of the chopsticks; a
grip enlarged to have a larger surface area and thickness than the
adjacent part and positioned between said connecting support and
contact of the chopsticks; and an intermediate part positioned
between the grips and the connecting support which is wider and
thinner than the part between the contact and the grip in order to
have elasticity; said connecting support being formed to have
larger width and thickness than the intermediate part.
2. The chopsticks according to claim 1, wherein said contact is in
the shape of a fork.
3. The chopsticks according to claim 1, wherein the side face of
the said chopsticks is in line symmetry.
4. The chopsticks according to claim 1, wherein the inner side of
the said contact is embossed.
5. The chopsticks according to claim 1, wherein the connecting
support and grip are formed extending to upper and lower directions
so that the area is broader than the area of neighboring
region.
6. The chopsticks according to claim 1, wherein said contact has an
uneven surface.
7. The chopsticks according to claim 1, wherein said contact has a
wide flat surface
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to chopsticks of pincers type,
and more particularly, to chopsticks of pincers type, wherein the
upper ends are connected with each other, and the grips are formed
on the sides in protrusion, so that the chopsticks are closed by
pressing the grips and are returned to their original positions by
the restoring force.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] In general, one pair of chopsticks consist of two individual
sticks each of which is used to pick up food. But using the
chopsticks adeptly requires some level of dexterity, and it is very
difficult to use them for persons who are unfamiliar with the use
of chopsticks, such as foreigners, the aged, those with physical
handicaps, and especially such patients with tremulous hands.
[0003] In addition, the chopsticks can be contaminated by contact
with the surface of the table since the chopsticks are usually put
down on the table when not in use, thus invoking the feeling of a
bad appearance and sanitation.
[0004] To solve these problems, some restaurants employ a separate
chopstick-rest on which the chopsticks can be set down when not in
use, so that the portion of the chopsticks that contacts with food
will not touch the table surface. This practice, however, has its
own drawbacks, for provision of a chopstick-rest means extra work,
time, and cost; it is also troublesome for diners who must set down
the chopsticks on the rests every time.
[0005] Another solution is to be found in a Korean utility model,
Registration No. 145841, which the present applicant obtained
earlier. The utility model of the present applicant is
characterized in that the chopsticks are made in a body; their
upper ends being connected with each other by means of a connecting
connecting support 120 in the shape of a ring bent downward and
their bottom parts being formed in a body together with grips 140;
the outer side of them embossed or knurled.
[0006] However, although the chopsticks in said utility model have
the effect of possibly preventing their contacts (food-contacting
parts) 130 from contacting the table top due to the grips 140 and
the connecting connecting support 120, there is still a problem in
that when the grips 140 are pressed to grasp food, the pressure is
applied to the connecting connecting support 120, viz. the tension
to its outer side and the compression to its inner side; whereupon,
the connecting connecting support 120 can be weakened or, worse
still, fractured. If the connecting connecting support 120 is
reinforced to overcome these shortcomings, then, it invariably
occurs that the connecting connecting support 120 gets too tough to
bend with sufficient elasticity for easy grasp of food.
[0007] Of course it may be possible to remedy such a problem simply
by making the said ring of the connecting connecting support much
bigger, but then the chopsticks must look unbalanced thereby
damaging the appearance and making it hard for both contacts,
remote from the central sections, to be brought together without
intercrossing, since the pressing force needed to grasp food has to
act mostly on the connecting connecting support.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] Now the object of the present invention is to provide clean
and sanitary chopsticks, in which the connecting connecting support
will not fracture, nor the contacts intercross, while coming into
no contact with the table surface.
[0009] The above object of the present invention can be attained by
bestowing an elastically deformable shape on the part between
connecting connecting support and grip, and thus the present
invention is characterized in that it comprises a connecting
connecting support connecting the upper ends of chopsticks; grips
enlarged to have a bigger surface area than the adjacent parts and
positioned between connecting connecting support and contact; and
an intermediate part, which, positioned between grip and connecting
connecting support, is wider and thinner than the part between
contact and grip.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the conventional
pincers-type chopsticks;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the pincers-type chopsticks
of the present invention;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a plane view of the type chopsticks of the present
invention;
[0013] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another example of
pincers-type chopsticks of the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of still another example of
pincers-type chopsticks of the present invention; and,
[0015] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of yet another pincers-type
example chopsticks of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0016] One of the embodiments of the present invention is described
below, referring to the drawings thereof.
[0017] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the chopsticks of the
present invention, and FIG. 3 is its plane view.
[0018] As shown in the above drawings, the pincers-type chopsticks
of the present invention comprise a connecting connecting support
20, which joins the upper ends of chopsticks in a body, and, bent
downward, keeps contacts 30 of the chopsticks from coming into
contact with the table top;
[0019] grips 40, which are formed in a protuberance between the
said connecting connecting support 20 and the said contacts 30,
and, having their bottom parts in contact with the table top, do
connecting connecting support, together with the said connecting
connecting support 20, the chopsticks to keep the said contacts 30
from getting into contact with the table top; and,
[0020] intermediate parts 50, which, positioned between the said
grips 40 and the said connecting connecting support 20, are formed
wide and long so as to bestow an elastic transformative property on
the chopsticks.
[0021] Of course, the said connecting connecting support 20 and
grips 40 may not necessarily swell downward, but can rise upward or
both fall downward and rise upward. And also, if the side face is
formed with linear symmetry, the use of the chopsticks may be
rendered more convenient, because there is no need to differentiate
the upper and lower sides of chopsticks.
[0022] Only, the said connecting connecting support 20 and the said
grip 40 have to get into contact with the table top and so they
must connecting connecting support the chopsticks, preventing the
said contacts 30 from getting in touch with the table top, and
provide enough areas for grip with a hand.
[0023] The functions of the pincers-type chopsticks of the present
invention are as follows:
[0024] When the pincers-type chopsticks of the present invention
are used for grasping food, force is applied to the said grips 40,
and the chopsticks are bent inward from the said connecting support
20, and then the said intermediate parts 50 between the said grips
40 and the said connecting support 20, shaped thinner than other
parts, prove elastic and easier to bounce, wherefore, the
chopsticks with thus improved elasticity modulus can recover their
original position easily enough for re-use if the force applied to
the said grips is abated a little.
[0025] Accordingly, while conventional chopsticks function by the
elasticity of the connecting support alone, the chopsticks of the
present invention are endowed with elasticity of their own to
function, and in the present invention the said connecting support
only serve firmly to connect the two sticks and connecting support
the chopsticks but prevent the said contacts 30 from getting
intercrossed and getting into contact with the table top.
[0026] And also the said contacts 30 which get in touch with food
can be given either the shape of a fork with prongs, or of a wide
flat, or else, an uneven surface, all to help grasp food with
greater ease.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0027] The present invention has effects of preventing the possible
fracture of the connecting support and helping grasp food with
ease, since both contacts of the chopsticks can be brought together
with small force, kept from intercrossing, while both the
connecting support and thegrips, themselves in contact with the
table top, can connecting support the contacts and keep them from
contact with the table top. firmly to connect the two sticks and
support the chopsticks, but prevent the said contacts 30 from
getting intercrossed and getting into contact with the table
top.
[0028] As shown in FIG. 4, to help grasp food with greater ease,
the said contacts 30 which get in touch with food can be given
either the shape of a fork with prongs. Alternatively, as shown in
FIG. 5 or 6, the contacts may have a wide flat; or else, an uneven
surface.
* * * * *