EP0063585A1

EP0063585A1 - Cutting-eating utensil for disabled hands or one-handed person

Info

Publication number: EP0063585A1
Application number: EP19810902968
Authority: EP
Inventors: Rodney Ellis Malcolm
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1980-10-29
Filing date: 1981-10-26
Publication date: 1982-11-03
Also published as: WO1982001500A1; AU7683781A

Abstract

Ustensile destine a etre utilise par un manchot, une personne suivant un traitement de reeducation apres une attaque d'apoplexie, des personnes arthritiques et des enfants ayant des malformations aux mains, leur permettant de couper sans assistance de la viande, du pain grille, etc.; la nourriture est retenue pendant le coupage et l'ustensile peut etre utilise par l'une des deux mains. Le dessin permet de mieux decrire l'invention, qui comprend: - une paire de lames de couteau identiques (5) pourvues de trous (6) et de fentes (7), liees au moyen d'un ressort (2, 3) ou (8) a un manche (1) de forme et de dimension appropriees, fixee de maniere pivotante au moyen de rivets ou de goujons (4) de maniere que lorsqu'une pression perpendiculaire est appliquee au manche, les lames accomplissent un mouvement de va-et-vient/contre-oscillation permettant ainsi d'executer le coupage/sciage et lors du relachement de la pression vers le bas les lames reviennent en arriere sous l'action du ressort, pretes a l'action de coupage suivante. Cet ustensile peut etre couple a un manche de fourchette et/ou de cuillere pour une utilisation polyvalente.Utensil intended for use by a penguin, a person undergoing rehabilitation treatment after an attack of apoplexy, arthritic people and children with deformities in the hands, allowing them to cut unattended meat, toast, etc. . the food is retained during cutting and the utensil can be used by one of the two hands. The drawing makes it possible to better describe the invention, which comprises: - a pair of identical knife blades (5) provided with holes (6) and slots (7), connected by means of a spring (2, 3) or (8) has a handle (1) of suitable shape and size, pivotally attached by means of rivets or studs (4) so that when a perpendicular pressure is applied to the handle, the blades perform a movement of va back and forth / counter-oscillation thus making it possible to execute cutting / sawing and during the release of the pressure downwards the blades come back under the action of the spring, ready for the following cutting action. This utensil can be paired with a fork and / or spoon handle for versatile use.

Description

CUTTING-EATING UTENSIL FOR DISABLED HANDS OR ONE-HANDED PERSON

The object of this invention is designed to provide a cutting and eating utensil fox one-handed person and post-apoplectic rehabilitees also for arthritic persons and children with hand disabilities or deformities, so that they can feed themselves unassisted to cut meat, toast, etc.

This invention of a pair of serrated knife-blades, spring-linked to a handle and upon application of a perpendicular pressure on the handle the blades reciprocate/contra-oscillate thus providing a saving-cutting action and when the downward pressure is released the blades spring back -again cutting while retracting- ready for the next cutting procedure.

As this utensil can be utilized by either hand, a handle can be shaped to suit the individual's capabilities of the deformed hand, or alternatively the utensil can be joined to a fork and/or spoon handle for multipurpose use.

Food is held stable while cutting which is a great advantage over other utensils of this class now available.

For durability, hygiene and sterilization the manufacture of this utensil is preferred to be of stainless steel. Suggested international size for the blades to be of 22 gauge cutlery stainless steel, 70 mm wide by 20 mm deep with serrations or plus serration depth of scalloping.

The invention is more fully described aided by reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein: Fig.1 is a plan view of the utensil,

Fig.2 is a sectional view of Fig.1, Fig.3 is an inverted view of the utensil, Fig.4 is another embodiment of the invention. As is shown in Fig.1-3 the utensil comprises: a handle marked (1), an appropriate coil spring marked (2), a pair of links with holes at both ends marked (3), rivets or pins marked (4), and a pair of serrated blades marked (5).

Assembly details:- Tension spring (2) is fixed to handle (1), then the base of handle is centred between the links (3) and joined by a movable rivet or pin (4). The blades (5) are identical and have a hole (6) at one end and a slot (7) at the other, when the blades are assembled back to back the hole of one blade lines un with the slot of the other, here the blades are pivoted to the other ends of the links by pins or rivets, so that the blades can reciprocate when the handle is pushed down. One end of the spring is fixed to the handle and the other is tensioned on the links, thus the spring-loaded links provide the retractive action of the blades. The slots on the blades provide the required reciprocating/contra-oscillating movement, preferrably 1-J to 2 serrations each way per reciprocation, A housing for the spring may be provided.

In the second embodiment Fig.4 the combined spring-link (8) is centred and fixed to the handle (1) either spot-welded or screwed depending on the material of the handle. The blades are then assembled to the ends of the appropriate tensioned spring-link either through holes at the arms of the spring-link: by means of manouvrable pin-rivets or alternatively if the blades are required to be readily dismantled for cleaning purpose, the pins can be fixed to the ends of the spring-link and the other ends of the pins can be grooved to take circlips (or other means) so that the blades are held firm together yet allowing for their reciprocating movement.

Claims

The claims defining the invention are as follows:

1. A cutting utensil comprising a pair of serrated blades, springlinked to a handle.

2. A cutting utensil as defined in Claim 1, wherein the blades are put into reciprocating (sawing) motion by movement of the handle in the direction perpendicular to the motion of the blades.

3. A cutting utensil as defined in Claims 1 and 2 wherein the blades and handle are linked by a spring and links.

4. A cutting utensil as defined in Claims 1 and 2 wherein the blades and handle are linked by one spring-link, so that various shapes and sizes of handles can be attached.

5. A cutting utensil as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.