US20230233009A1 - Sinusoidal food label - Google Patents
Sinusoidal food label Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20230233009A1 US20230233009A1 US17/585,520 US202217585520A US2023233009A1 US 20230233009 A1 US20230233009 A1 US 20230233009A1 US 202217585520 A US202217585520 A US 202217585520A US 2023233009 A1 US2023233009 A1 US 2023233009A1
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- dunking
- tool
- exemplary
- handle
- food item
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Pending
Links
- 235000013305 food Nutrition 0.000 title claims abstract description 94
- 239000004033 plastic Substances 0.000 abstract description 3
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 9
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 9
- 229920001971 elastomer Polymers 0.000 description 6
- 230000008569 process Effects 0.000 description 6
- 235000014510 cooky Nutrition 0.000 description 5
- 230000005484 gravity Effects 0.000 description 5
- 101100334009 Caenorhabditis elegans rib-2 gene Proteins 0.000 description 4
- 230000008901 benefit Effects 0.000 description 4
- 239000000806 elastomer Substances 0.000 description 4
- 239000004606 Fillers/Extenders Substances 0.000 description 3
- 241001465754 Metazoa Species 0.000 description 3
- 239000011521 glass Substances 0.000 description 3
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 description 3
- 241000287828 Gallus gallus Species 0.000 description 2
- 235000009508 confectionery Nutrition 0.000 description 2
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 description 2
- 229920001296 polysiloxane Polymers 0.000 description 2
- 241000283153 Cetacea Species 0.000 description 1
- 230000001154 acute effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 235000013361 beverage Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 238000009835 boiling Methods 0.000 description 1
- 210000000988 bone and bone Anatomy 0.000 description 1
- 235000010633 broth Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 238000004040 coloring Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000000295 complement effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000035622 drinking Effects 0.000 description 1
- 235000013399 edible fruits Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 1
- 235000013601 eggs Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 239000013536 elastomeric material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000001939 inductive effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000002347 injection Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000007924 injection Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000003993 interaction Effects 0.000 description 1
- 235000013622 meat product Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 230000007246 mechanism Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000008267 milk Substances 0.000 description 1
- 235000013336 milk Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 210000004080 milk Anatomy 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000009467 reduction Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000004044 response Effects 0.000 description 1
- 235000015067 sauces Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 229920002379 silicone rubber Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000004945 silicone rubber Substances 0.000 description 1
- 235000013311 vegetables Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47G—HOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT
- A47G19/00—Table service
- A47G19/22—Drinking vessels or saucers used for table service
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47G—HOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT
- A47G21/00—Table-ware
- A47G21/04—Spoons; Pastry servers
Definitions
- dunking devices that use mechanical opening and closing mechanisms to dunk items in beverages, such as those disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0112312 and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0048125.
- Other dunking devices rely on the user to insert the food product and/or balance the food product during the dunking process to avoid it dropping out, such as in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0289693, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0295328, U. S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0109222, U. S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0084912, and Canadian Patent No. 02773023.
- Still other devices are made of numerous parts that can fall out or can collect debris in the gaps and interconnection points, such as in International Publication No. WO2009/032784.
- An exemplary dunking tool may have a handle, a stem extending downwardly from the handle and connected to a body having a bottom and at least one foot connected to the bottom so that all of the components together have a sinusoidal-like shape. Further, the exemplary dunking tool may be configured so that the body is configured to elastically deform in order to hold a food item therebetween.
- An exemplary dunking tool may have a handle, a stem extending downwardly from the handle and connected to a body having a bottom and at least one foot connected to the bottom so that at least two of the foregoing components contribute to a sinusoidal-like shape in the dunking tool. Further, the exemplary dunking tool may be configured so that the body is configured to elastically deform in order to hold a food item therebetween.
- An exemplary dunking tool may have a handle, a stem extending downwardly from the handle and connected to a body having a bottom and at least one foot connected to the bottom so that all of the components together have a sinusoidal-like shape. Further, the exemplary dunking tool may be configured so that the body is configured to elastically deform in order to hold a food item therebetween.
- the exemplary dunking tool's body may further have at least one rib, at least one shoulder, at least one clutch, and at least one opening in the bottom.
- An exemplary dunking tool may have a handle, a stem extending downwardly from the handle and connected to a body having a bottom and at least one foot connected to the bottom so that at least two of the foregoing components contribute to a sinusoidal-like shape in the dunking tool. Further, the exemplary dunking tool may be configured so that the body is configured to elastically deform in order to hold a food item therebetween.
- the exemplary dunking tool's body may further have at least one rib, at least one shoulder, at least one clutch, and at least one opening in the bottom.
- An exemplary dunking tool may have a handle, a stem extending downwardly from the handle and connected to a body having a bottom and at least one foot connected to the bottom so that all of the components together have a sinusoidal-like shape. Further, the exemplary dunking tool may be configured so that the body is configured to elastically deform in order to hold a food item therebetween.
- the exemplary dunking tool's body may further have a plurality of ribs, at least one shoulder, at least one clutch, and at least one opening in the bottom.
- An exemplary dunking tool may have a handle, a stem extending downwardly from the handle and connected to a body having a bottom and at least one foot connected to the bottom so that at least two of the foregoing components contribute to a sinusoidal-like shape in the dunking tool. Further, the exemplary dunking tool may be configured so that the body is configured to elastically deform in order to hold a food item therebetween.
- the exemplary dunking tool's body may further have a plurality of ribs, at least one shoulder, at least one clutch, and at least one opening in the bottom.
- An exemplary dunking tool may have a handle, a stem extending downwardly from the handle and connected to a body having a bottom and at least one foot connected to the bottom so that all of the components together have a sinusoidal-like shape. Further, the exemplary dunking tool may be configured so that the body is configured to elastically deform in order to hold a food item therebetween.
- the exemplary dunking tool's body may further have at least one rib, a plurality of shoulders, at least one clutch, and at least one opening in the bottom.
- An exemplary dunking tool may have a handle, a stem extending downwardly from the handle and connected to a body having a bottom and at least one foot connected to the bottom so that at least two of the foregoing components contribute to a sinusoidal-like shape in the dunking tool. Further, the exemplary dunking tool may be configured so that the body is configured to elastically deform in order to hold a food item therebetween.
- the exemplary dunking tool's body may further have at least one rib, a plurality of shoulders, at least one clutch, and at least one opening in the bottom.
- An exemplary dunking tool may have a handle, a stem extending downwardly from the handle and connected to a body having a bottom and at least one foot connected to the bottom so that all of the components together have a sinusoidal-like shape. Further, the exemplary dunking tool may be configured so that the body is configured to elastically deform in order to hold a food item therebetween.
- the exemplary dunking tool's body may further have a plurality of ribs, a plurality of shoulders, at least one clutch, and at least one opening in the bottom.
- An exemplary dunking tool may have a handle, a stem extending downwardly from the handle and connected to a body having a bottom and at least one foot connected to the bottom so that at least two of the foregoing components contribute to a sinusoidal-like shape in the dunking tool. Further, the exemplary dunking tool may be configured so that the body is configured to elastically deform in order to hold a food item therebetween.
- the exemplary dunking tool's body may further have a plurality of ribs, a plurality of shoulders, at least one clutch, and at least one opening in the bottom.
- An exemplary dunking tool may have a handle, a stem extending downwardly from the handle and connected to a body having a bottom and at least one foot connected to the bottom so that all of the components together have a sinusoidal-like shape. Further, the exemplary dunking tool may be configured so that the body is configured to elastically deform in order to hold a food item therebetween.
- the exemplary dunking tool's body may further have at least one rib, at least one shoulder, a plurality of clutches, and at least one opening in the bottom.
- An exemplary dunking tool may have a handle, a stem extending downwardly from the handle and connected to a body having a bottom and at least one foot connected to the bottom so that at least two of the foregoing components contribute to a sinusoidal-like shape in the dunking tool. Further, the exemplary dunking tool may be configured so that the body is configured to elastically deform in order to hold a food item therebetween.
- the exemplary dunking tool's body may further have at least one rib, at least one shoulder, a plurality of clutches, and at least one opening in the bottom.
- An exemplary dunking tool may have a handle, a stem extending downwardly from the handle and connected to a body having a bottom and at least one foot connected to the bottom so that all of the components together have a sinusoidal-like shape. Further, the exemplary dunking tool may be configured so that the body is configured to elastically deform in order to hold a food item therebetween.
- the exemplary dunking tool's body may further have a plurality of ribs, a plurality of shoulders, a plurality of clutches, and at least one opening in the bottom.
- An exemplary dunking tool may have a handle, a stem extending downwardly from the handle and connected to a body having a bottom and at least one foot connected to the bottom so that at least two of the foregoing components contribute to a sinusoidal-like shape in the dunking tool. Further, the exemplary dunking tool may be configured so that the body is configured to elastically deform in order to hold a food item therebetween.
- the exemplary dunking tool's body may further have a plurality of ribs, a plurality of shoulders, a plurality of clutches, and at least one opening in the bottom.
- An exemplary dunking tool may have a handle, a stem extending downwardly from the handle and connected to a body having a bottom and at least one foot connected to the bottom so that all of the components together have a sinusoidal-like shape. Further, the exemplary dunking tool may be configured so that the body is configured to elastically deform in order to hold a food item therebetween.
- the exemplary dunking tool's body may further have at least one rib, at least one shoulder, at least one clutch, and at least one opening in the bottom. Further, the stem may extend substantially over the food item when held in the body.
- An exemplary dunking tool may have a handle, a stem extending downwardly from the handle and connected to a body having a bottom and at least one foot connected to the bottom so that at least two of the foregoing components contribute to a sinusoidal-like shape in the dunking tool. Further, the exemplary dunking tool may be configured so that the body is configured to elastically deform in order to hold a food item therebetween. The exemplary dunking tool's body may further have at least one rib, at least one shoulder, at least one clutch, and at least one opening in the bottom. Further, the stem may extend substantially over the food item when held in the body.
- An exemplary dunking tool may have a handle, a stem extending downwardly from the handle and connected to a body having a bottom and at least one foot connected to the bottom so that all of the components together have a sinusoidal-like shape. Further, the exemplary dunking tool may be configured so that the body is configured to elastically deform in order to hold a food item therebetween.
- the exemplary dunking tool's body may further have at least one rib, at least one shoulder, at least one clutch, and at least one opening in the bottom. Further, the handle may be substantially parallel to the bottom and aligned with a center of the body.
- An exemplary dunking tool may have a handle, a stem extending downwardly from the handle and connected to a body having a bottom and at least one foot connected to the bottom so that at least two of the foregoing components contribute to a sinusoidal-like shape in the dunking tool. Further, the exemplary dunking tool may be configured so that the body is configured to elastically deform in order to hold a food item therebetween. The exemplary dunking tool's body may further have at least one rib, at least one shoulder, at least one clutch, and at least one opening in the bottom. Further, the handle may be substantially parallel to the bottom and aligned with a center of the body.
- An exemplary dunking tool may have a handle, a stem extending downwardly from the handle and connected to a body having a bottom and at least one foot connected to the bottom so that all of the components together have a sinusoidal-like shape. Further, the exemplary dunking tool may be configured so that the body is configured to elastically deform in order to hold a food item therebetween. When holding a food item, the body may deform outwardly.
- An exemplary dunking tool may have a handle, a stem extending downwardly from the handle and connected to a body having a bottom and at least one foot connected to the bottom so that at least two of the foregoing components contribute to a sinusoidal-like shape in the dunking tool. Further, the exemplary dunking tool may be configured so that the body is configured to elastically deform in order to hold a food item therebetween. When holding a food item, the body may deform outwardly.
- Another exemplary dunking tool may have a sinusoidal-like creature shape, in which there is a handle shaped like a creature's head, a stem extending downwardly from the handle that is shaped like the creature's neck, and a body that is shaped like the creature's body, the body having a bottom and at least one foot connected to the bottom.
- the body is configured to elastically deform in order to hold a food item therebetween, and at least two of the handle, the stem, and the body contributes to the sinusoidal shape of the dunking tool.
- Another exemplary dunking tool may have a sinusoidal-like creature shape, in which there is a handle shaped like a creature's head, a stem extending downwardly from the handle that is shaped like the creature's neck, and a body that is shaped like the creature's body, the body having a bottom and at least one foot connected to the bottom.
- the body is configured to elastically deform in order to hold a food item therebetween, and at least two of the handle, the stem, and the body contributes to the sinusoidal shape of the dunking tool.
- the body may have at least one rib, at least one shoulder, at least one clutch, and at least one opening in the bottom.
- FIGS. 1 A- 1 B illustrate an exemplary embodiment of a dunking tool in profile and isometric views, respectively.
- FIGS. 1 C-D illustrate the exemplary embodiment of a dunking tool as in FIGS. 1 A- 1 B , from the reverse side and underneath, respectively.
- FIGS. 2 A-D illustrate another exemplary embodiments of a dunking tool from multiple vantage points.
- FIGS. 3 A-C illustrate another exemplary embodiment of a dunking tool from multiple vantage points.
- FIGS. 4 A-D illustrate yet another exemplary embodiment of a dunking tool from multiple vantage points
- an exemplary dunking tool 100 may be comprised of three sections, a holding section 10 , an extender section 20 , and a handle section 30 .
- Each of sections 10 - 30 may be formed in any way or shape provided they accord with the goals and disclosures herein.
- Each of sections 10 - 30 may be interconnected mechanically or may be made from one integral piece of material.
- an exemplary dunking tool 100 comprised of interconnection sections preferably has only interconnection points between handle section 30 and extender section 20 , as it is preferable to avoid gaps and spaces between pans in the regions that are submerged, e.g., holding section 10 and lower parts of extender section 20 that interact with holding section 10 .
- an exemplary dunking tool 100 may be comprised of interchangeable handle sections 30 .
- the dunking tool 100 may take the shape of animals or other creatures to double as a toy for children, an example of which may be illustrated in FIGS. 4 A-D .
- an exemplary dunking tool 100 may have a generally sinusoidal or “S” shape formed by the sections 10 , 20 , and 30 . While sections 20 and 30 may deviate from the “S” shape, e.g., having shapes like a number “7” or a partial “Z” letter, it has been found that the U-shaped profile of an exemplary holding section 10 imparts particular advantages to the dunking tool 100 .
- the dunking tool 100 may have a stem 21 and a handle 31 .
- the angle between stem 21 and handle 31 may be an acute angle, but may be as large as a right angle. In a preferred embodiment, the angle between stem 21 and handle 31 should be no greater than 45 degrees.
- an exemplary handle 31 may extend no further than the length of stem 21 .
- the handle 31 may advantageously be placed via stem 21 so that its center of gravity may be substantially aligned with the center of gravity of the food item held in the holding section 10 . Implicit in this sinusoidal design is a reduction in the moment created by loading a dunking tool 100 with a food item, which could affect the enjoyment of using the device by children by reducing the amount of control over the dunking process.
- handle 31 is substantially aligned with the center of gravity of the food item to be held in the body, the unwanted effect of moment creation in the dunking tool 100 may be substantially reduced, if not eliminated.
- An exemplary holding section 10 may comprise a body 1 , one or more ribs 2 , a shoulder 3 , and one or more feet 4 disposed below the ribs 2 . With reference to FIG. 1 B , an exemplary holding section 10 may also have one or more arms 5 , a cavity 6 , and clutches 7 . In an exemplary embodiment, all parts of holding section 10 may be molded from a unitary piece of material, such as a plastic or an elastomer. In a preferred embodiment, the holding section 10 may be molded entirely from silicone rubber. According to the illustrative embodiment of FIGS.
- the body 1 may be the receptacle in which a food item, such as a cookie, fruit, vegetable, meat product, candy, or other confection, may be placed prior to being lowered into a dunking medium, e.g., a glass, bowl, or pot.
- a food item such as a cookie, fruit, vegetable, meat product, candy, or other confection
- An exemplary body 1 may hold such a food item steadily by embracing the surfaces of the food item within cavity 6 using a combination of arms 5 , shoulders 3 , ribs 2 , and clutches 7 .
- Arms 5 may tend to “hug” the food item when installed in the tool 100 while shoulders 3 and ribs 2 may keep the food item from tipping out of the tool 100 .
- an exemplary clutch 7 may also “hug” the food item, but also prohibits it from falling out of the tool 100 , especially in the situation where arms 5 may be too tight to hug the food item.
- an exemplary arm 5 may bend to accommodate food items of different thicknesses and shapes.
- exemplary shoulders 3 and/or ribs 2 are made from a flexible material, these too may bend and stretch to accommodate food items of different thicknesses and shapes.
- an exemplary clutch 7 is provided with flexibility, it may accommodate food items of larger widths and lengths because the flexing of clutch 7 may be substantially perpendicular to the flexing experienced at an exemplary arm 5 , shoulder 3 , and/or rib 2 .
- An exemplary clutch 7 may be hook shaped or tapered flat.
- An objective of clutch 7 may be to prohibit a food item from falling out of the body 1 during dunking with tool 100 .
- the body 1 of holding section 10 may comprise one or more features that will hold a food item tightly while being immersed in a dunking medium with limited risk of it falling out of the tool 100 .
- an exemplary shoulder 3 may be positioned so that it is between 1.25 inches and 1.5 inches above the lower-most surface of cavity 6 , which may be half the width of a standard cookie.
- an exemplary cavity 6 may be between about 0.25 inches and about 0.375 inches, which may the thickness of a standard cookie.
- an exemplary clutch 7 may be the same height as the shoulder 3 or it may extend upwardly towards the top of holding section 10 . According to this latter option, an exemplary clutch 7 may be very flexible and bendable to allow for easy access to the held food item yet protect against it falling out of the tool 100 during dunking operations.
- spacing between shoulder 3 and rib 2 and spacing between clutches 7 may provide the advantage of increasing the surface area of the food item available for contact with the dunking medium, e.g., milk, broth, or sauces.
- Another advantage provided by spaced-apart shoulders 3 , ribs 2 , and clutches 7 may also be a friction fit around the food item within dunking tool 100 .
- the flexible elastomeric material comprising one or more of shoulders 3 , ribs 2 , and clutches 7 may tightly hold the food item as it is immersed in a dunking medium and avoid it moving out of place when it is submerged and taken out of the dunking medium.
- shoulders 3 and ribs 2 are made of a flexible material that wishes to maintain its as-molded conformation so that when a food item is thrust in between opposing shoulders 3 or ribs 2 , they may hug or press against the food item in the process.
- An exemplary friction fit created by the aforementioned features of body 1 in the holding section 10 may also allow a user to take the dunked food item out of dunking tool 100 without the food item breaking apart.
- a user may push on the clutches 7 towards stem 21 so that shoulders 3 and ribs 2 may bow outwardly away from the food item (that is, releasing the elastic grip on the food item).
- the circular recesses within space 6 may also urge the food item above ribs 2 and/or shoulders 3 and upwardly near arms 5 .
- a food item that was once flexibly secured within holding section 10 may utilize the same flexibility in components to allow the food item to be released from holding section 10 with little or no risk of breaking or deforming the soaked food item in the release process.
- an additional opening 9 may be found in an exemplary bottom 8 of an exemplary tool 100 .
- Opening 9 may be of any variety, shape, or contour provided it allows dunking medium to come in contact with the food item held within body 1 of tool 10 .
- opening 9 may be a plurality of circular openings in the bottom of body 1 of holding section 10 that are sized to permit dunking medium to pass but not to allow the contents of body 1 to fall out.
- An exemplary dunking tool 100 may use one or more feet 4 to maintain the tool 100 in an upright position to allow for the food item held therein to be immersed and in extended contact with the dunking medium.
- feet 4 may be arranged and shaped to fit within the perimeter of a drinking glass or bowl.
- feet 4 may be capable of manipulation by comprising bendable over-molded components to enable them to fit a desired shape. While an exemplary foot 4 may be illustrated as substantially spherical in a figure, any polyhedron shape may be used to serve the purpose of being an exemplary foot 4 , such as cubic, pyramidal, trapezoidal, or combinations of the same.
- each foot 4 may be spaced and sized so that dunking tool 100 may not flip or roll over in response to being loaded with a particular food item.
- foot 4 alone or in combination with bottom 8 may have magnetic elements to enable fixation to dunking medium containers comprising embedded metal components.
- an exemplary magnetic bottom 8 and/or foot 4 may be magnetic to attach to a metal container or bowl.
- the junction between stem 21 and body 1 may be round, flat, or contoured in a way that would complement a container into which a dunking medium may be poured, e.g., a cup, bowl, or glass.
- the junction between stem 21 and body 1 may allow dunking tool 100 to slide along the inside surface of a particular container for a dunking medium with little or no friction or resistance.
- the stem 21 and body 1 may have one or more orifices and/or holes through each of their thickness for dunking medium to pass through.
- an exemplary body 1 and stem 21 may be configured so that they allow passage of as much dunking medium around the food item held within body 1 and/or allow the greatest amount of flow of dunking medium through and into dunking tool 100 .
- an exemplary dunking tool 100 may comprise similar sections as was shown in FIGS. 1 A-D , but with different structures and configurations, which may or may not be used in other embodiments described herein.
- An exemplary body 1 may now have a base 1 b that works in conjunction with foot 4 to stabilize dunking tool 100 in an upright position while holding an exemplary food item.
- an exemplary pair of ribs 2 and shoulders 3 may be enclosed by a single clutch 7 .
- an exemplary dunking tool 100 may also have a bottom 8 that runs transversely between base sides 1 b . While bottom 8 may be rounded, it may also be truncated to allow a flat surface to be adjacent foot 4 , which is shown as a spherical protrusion from body 1 .
- the exemplary dunking tool 100 illustrated in FIGS. 2 B-D also may have an opening 9 running parallel with shoulders 3 and/or ribs 2 .
- an exemplary opening 9 exposes much of the underside of an exemplary food item to the dunking medium and may even allow it to fill the space 6 between ribs 2 and shoulders 3 and any gaps between food item and clutch 7 .
- the dunking medium may be placed in greater contact with the food item using the various narrow openings of the dunking tool 100 depicted in FIGS. 2 A-D so that it takes less time to saturate the food item with the dunking medium.
- the material making up body 1 may be an elastomer or may also be a hard plastic. In another embodiment, the material making up body 1 may be injection molded or 3 D printed. In yet another embodiment, where body 1 is a flexible elastomer material, the shoulders 3 and/or ribs 2 of the dunking tool 100 may operate in similar fashion to that described with reference to FIGS. 1 A-D .
- an exemplary stem 21 may extend in multiple directions and flow into a hook-shaped handle 31 that terminates in a textured end 30 (visible in FIG. 2 D ).
- dunking tool 100 in FIG. 2 A may be at rest on a surface while stem 21 may have a sinusoidal configuration with respect to body 1 .
- the sinusoid of FIG. 2 A may comprise only stem 21 and handle 31 .
- foot 4 may be of sufficient mass and weight to anchor an exemplary dunking tool 100 in an upright position despite the outward sinusoid created by stem 21 and handle 31 .
- dunking tool 100 when body 1 is holding an exemplary food item, the entirety of dunking tool 100 may be better balanced given the opposite leaning disposition of stem 21 and handle 31 .
- dunking tool 100 as may be depicted in FIGS. 2 A-D may achieve a sinusoidal arrangement within the container holding the dunking medium. This may occur by placing dunking tool 100 into a container so that foot 4 may slide along the inside surface of the container (like the junction between body 1 and stem 21 in the dunking tool of FIGS. 1 A-D ). In this way, the food item may be turned at an angle with respect to the bottom of the container in the dunking medium and stem 21 may overhang the food item during the dunking process.
- dunking tool 100 may greatly expose the food item to dunking medium in this arrangement, but it can be easily pulled out using the hook 31 without spilling out of the body 1 in the process.
- dunking tool 100 may be placed into a container with dunking medium just as illustrated in FIG. 2 A with hook 31 capable of lifting the entire device at a distance from the dunking position. Having a lifting handle section 30 at position distal from the dunking position of the food item may be advantageous where the dunking medium may be hot or contain coloring that can stain clothes. For example, using the dunking tool 100 as illustrated in FIG.
- a user may dunk Easter eggs into colored liquid while the hook 31 is at a distance to avoid getting fingers of the user stained with the colored liquid.
- the use of hook 31 may keep the user from being splashed by boiling water used to make the broth with the chicken material.
- an exemplary end 30 may be smooth or contoured, it may also be magnetic or friction inducing, e.g., having rubber treads or silicone abutments.
- an exemplary dunking tool 100 may have a similar profile to that shown in FIG. 2 A (as may be viewed via FIG. 3 C ), but may otherwise differ in terms of the configuration of body 1 .
- the addition of arms 5 to body 1 may be used in conjunction with the spaced relationship of flexible ribs 2 and shoulders 3 interconnecting the portion of body 1 nearest to stem 21 to spaced-apart clutches 7 .
- the spaced apart clutch 7 may be used in much the same way as disclosed with respect to FIGS. 1 A-D .
- FIGS. 3 A-C may be used to frictionally-hold a food item in body 1 by a user inserting his or her finger in the space 6 of body 1 to open and close the combination of clutches 7 , ribs 2 , and shoulders 3 .
- the force-application methodology employed with FIGS. 3 A-C may cause each opposing clutch 7 , rib 2 , and shoulder 3 combination to operate as its own arm 5 for holding a food item.
- this particular embodiment may act like a rubber clamp to hold the food item as it is introduced to a dunking medium in a container.
- a food item may not need to be as deeply held within body 1 , that is, the arm 5 (the combination of ribs 2 , shoulders 3 , and clutch portion 7 ) may be resilient enough to hold a food item at a portion rather than about a major portion, leaving more exposed food item for dunking medium interaction.
- the elasticity of ribs 2 and shoulders 3 may be such that they can fit a variety of different thickness of food item, including food items with features that could make one or both of ribs 2 and/or shoulders 3 bulge.
- an embodiment of the dunking tool 100 depicted in FIGS. 3 A-C may preferably be made of an elastomer, such as silicone, and be extremely flexible in the body 1 region.
- an exemplary dunking tool 100 may be fashioned after a creature or figurine, such as, for example a dragon, whale, bird, or mermaid.
- handle 31 may be made into the head of the animal being formed as part of dunking tool 100 .
- Stem 21 may be the neck of the animal and the torso and tail a part of the dunking tool's body 1 .
- the shoulder 3 may be the “back” of the creature and rib 2 an extension spaced apart from the shoulder 3 .
- feet 4 may be located on four corners of a base 8 , which is flat to hold the dunking tool 100 erect when placed in a dunking medium in a container.
- clutches 7 may make up the creature's tail and may be spaced-apart.
- the sinusoid of FIG. 4 A may demonstrate the advantage of placing handle 31 above the center of gravity of the food item held in body 1 .
Landscapes
- Food-Manufacturing Devices (AREA)
Abstract
An exemplary dunking tool may have a sinusoidal shape as a result of the interconnection between a handle, a stem, and a body that has feet and elastic or plastic features. The dunking tool may be designed to hold food items and dunk the same in a medium without significant risk of dropping the food item into the medium.
Description
- Disclosed are embodiments of the invention that relate to, among other things, instruments for introducing cookies and other food products into a liquid medium container.
- There are dunking devices that use mechanical opening and closing mechanisms to dunk items in beverages, such as those disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0112312 and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0048125. Other dunking devices rely on the user to insert the food product and/or balance the food product during the dunking process to avoid it dropping out, such as in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0289693, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0295328, U. S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0109222, U. S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0084912, and Canadian Patent No. 02773023. Still other devices are made of numerous parts that can fall out or can collect debris in the gaps and interconnection points, such as in International Publication No. WO2009/032784.
- An exemplary dunking tool may have a handle, a stem extending downwardly from the handle and connected to a body having a bottom and at least one foot connected to the bottom so that all of the components together have a sinusoidal-like shape. Further, the exemplary dunking tool may be configured so that the body is configured to elastically deform in order to hold a food item therebetween.
- An exemplary dunking tool may have a handle, a stem extending downwardly from the handle and connected to a body having a bottom and at least one foot connected to the bottom so that at least two of the foregoing components contribute to a sinusoidal-like shape in the dunking tool. Further, the exemplary dunking tool may be configured so that the body is configured to elastically deform in order to hold a food item therebetween.
- An exemplary dunking tool may have a handle, a stem extending downwardly from the handle and connected to a body having a bottom and at least one foot connected to the bottom so that all of the components together have a sinusoidal-like shape. Further, the exemplary dunking tool may be configured so that the body is configured to elastically deform in order to hold a food item therebetween. The exemplary dunking tool's body may further have at least one rib, at least one shoulder, at least one clutch, and at least one opening in the bottom.
- An exemplary dunking tool may have a handle, a stem extending downwardly from the handle and connected to a body having a bottom and at least one foot connected to the bottom so that at least two of the foregoing components contribute to a sinusoidal-like shape in the dunking tool. Further, the exemplary dunking tool may be configured so that the body is configured to elastically deform in order to hold a food item therebetween. The exemplary dunking tool's body may further have at least one rib, at least one shoulder, at least one clutch, and at least one opening in the bottom.
- An exemplary dunking tool may have a handle, a stem extending downwardly from the handle and connected to a body having a bottom and at least one foot connected to the bottom so that all of the components together have a sinusoidal-like shape. Further, the exemplary dunking tool may be configured so that the body is configured to elastically deform in order to hold a food item therebetween. The exemplary dunking tool's body may further have a plurality of ribs, at least one shoulder, at least one clutch, and at least one opening in the bottom.
- An exemplary dunking tool may have a handle, a stem extending downwardly from the handle and connected to a body having a bottom and at least one foot connected to the bottom so that at least two of the foregoing components contribute to a sinusoidal-like shape in the dunking tool. Further, the exemplary dunking tool may be configured so that the body is configured to elastically deform in order to hold a food item therebetween. The exemplary dunking tool's body may further have a plurality of ribs, at least one shoulder, at least one clutch, and at least one opening in the bottom.
- An exemplary dunking tool may have a handle, a stem extending downwardly from the handle and connected to a body having a bottom and at least one foot connected to the bottom so that all of the components together have a sinusoidal-like shape. Further, the exemplary dunking tool may be configured so that the body is configured to elastically deform in order to hold a food item therebetween. The exemplary dunking tool's body may further have at least one rib, a plurality of shoulders, at least one clutch, and at least one opening in the bottom.
- An exemplary dunking tool may have a handle, a stem extending downwardly from the handle and connected to a body having a bottom and at least one foot connected to the bottom so that at least two of the foregoing components contribute to a sinusoidal-like shape in the dunking tool. Further, the exemplary dunking tool may be configured so that the body is configured to elastically deform in order to hold a food item therebetween. The exemplary dunking tool's body may further have at least one rib, a plurality of shoulders, at least one clutch, and at least one opening in the bottom.
- An exemplary dunking tool may have a handle, a stem extending downwardly from the handle and connected to a body having a bottom and at least one foot connected to the bottom so that all of the components together have a sinusoidal-like shape. Further, the exemplary dunking tool may be configured so that the body is configured to elastically deform in order to hold a food item therebetween. The exemplary dunking tool's body may further have a plurality of ribs, a plurality of shoulders, at least one clutch, and at least one opening in the bottom.
- An exemplary dunking tool may have a handle, a stem extending downwardly from the handle and connected to a body having a bottom and at least one foot connected to the bottom so that at least two of the foregoing components contribute to a sinusoidal-like shape in the dunking tool. Further, the exemplary dunking tool may be configured so that the body is configured to elastically deform in order to hold a food item therebetween. The exemplary dunking tool's body may further have a plurality of ribs, a plurality of shoulders, at least one clutch, and at least one opening in the bottom.
- An exemplary dunking tool may have a handle, a stem extending downwardly from the handle and connected to a body having a bottom and at least one foot connected to the bottom so that all of the components together have a sinusoidal-like shape. Further, the exemplary dunking tool may be configured so that the body is configured to elastically deform in order to hold a food item therebetween. The exemplary dunking tool's body may further have at least one rib, at least one shoulder, a plurality of clutches, and at least one opening in the bottom.
- An exemplary dunking tool may have a handle, a stem extending downwardly from the handle and connected to a body having a bottom and at least one foot connected to the bottom so that at least two of the foregoing components contribute to a sinusoidal-like shape in the dunking tool. Further, the exemplary dunking tool may be configured so that the body is configured to elastically deform in order to hold a food item therebetween. The exemplary dunking tool's body may further have at least one rib, at least one shoulder, a plurality of clutches, and at least one opening in the bottom.
- An exemplary dunking tool may have a handle, a stem extending downwardly from the handle and connected to a body having a bottom and at least one foot connected to the bottom so that all of the components together have a sinusoidal-like shape. Further, the exemplary dunking tool may be configured so that the body is configured to elastically deform in order to hold a food item therebetween. The exemplary dunking tool's body may further have a plurality of ribs, a plurality of shoulders, a plurality of clutches, and at least one opening in the bottom.
- An exemplary dunking tool may have a handle, a stem extending downwardly from the handle and connected to a body having a bottom and at least one foot connected to the bottom so that at least two of the foregoing components contribute to a sinusoidal-like shape in the dunking tool. Further, the exemplary dunking tool may be configured so that the body is configured to elastically deform in order to hold a food item therebetween. The exemplary dunking tool's body may further have a plurality of ribs, a plurality of shoulders, a plurality of clutches, and at least one opening in the bottom.
- An exemplary dunking tool may have a handle, a stem extending downwardly from the handle and connected to a body having a bottom and at least one foot connected to the bottom so that all of the components together have a sinusoidal-like shape. Further, the exemplary dunking tool may be configured so that the body is configured to elastically deform in order to hold a food item therebetween. The exemplary dunking tool's body may further have at least one rib, at least one shoulder, at least one clutch, and at least one opening in the bottom. Further, the stem may extend substantially over the food item when held in the body.
- An exemplary dunking tool may have a handle, a stem extending downwardly from the handle and connected to a body having a bottom and at least one foot connected to the bottom so that at least two of the foregoing components contribute to a sinusoidal-like shape in the dunking tool. Further, the exemplary dunking tool may be configured so that the body is configured to elastically deform in order to hold a food item therebetween. The exemplary dunking tool's body may further have at least one rib, at least one shoulder, at least one clutch, and at least one opening in the bottom. Further, the stem may extend substantially over the food item when held in the body.
- An exemplary dunking tool may have a handle, a stem extending downwardly from the handle and connected to a body having a bottom and at least one foot connected to the bottom so that all of the components together have a sinusoidal-like shape. Further, the exemplary dunking tool may be configured so that the body is configured to elastically deform in order to hold a food item therebetween. The exemplary dunking tool's body may further have at least one rib, at least one shoulder, at least one clutch, and at least one opening in the bottom. Further, the handle may be substantially parallel to the bottom and aligned with a center of the body.
- An exemplary dunking tool may have a handle, a stem extending downwardly from the handle and connected to a body having a bottom and at least one foot connected to the bottom so that at least two of the foregoing components contribute to a sinusoidal-like shape in the dunking tool. Further, the exemplary dunking tool may be configured so that the body is configured to elastically deform in order to hold a food item therebetween. The exemplary dunking tool's body may further have at least one rib, at least one shoulder, at least one clutch, and at least one opening in the bottom. Further, the handle may be substantially parallel to the bottom and aligned with a center of the body.
- An exemplary dunking tool may have a handle, a stem extending downwardly from the handle and connected to a body having a bottom and at least one foot connected to the bottom so that all of the components together have a sinusoidal-like shape. Further, the exemplary dunking tool may be configured so that the body is configured to elastically deform in order to hold a food item therebetween. When holding a food item, the body may deform outwardly.
- An exemplary dunking tool may have a handle, a stem extending downwardly from the handle and connected to a body having a bottom and at least one foot connected to the bottom so that at least two of the foregoing components contribute to a sinusoidal-like shape in the dunking tool. Further, the exemplary dunking tool may be configured so that the body is configured to elastically deform in order to hold a food item therebetween. When holding a food item, the body may deform outwardly.
- Another exemplary dunking tool may have a sinusoidal-like creature shape, in which there is a handle shaped like a creature's head, a stem extending downwardly from the handle that is shaped like the creature's neck, and a body that is shaped like the creature's body, the body having a bottom and at least one foot connected to the bottom. According to this exemplary embodiment, the body is configured to elastically deform in order to hold a food item therebetween, and at least two of the handle, the stem, and the body contributes to the sinusoidal shape of the dunking tool.
- Another exemplary dunking tool may have a sinusoidal-like creature shape, in which there is a handle shaped like a creature's head, a stem extending downwardly from the handle that is shaped like the creature's neck, and a body that is shaped like the creature's body, the body having a bottom and at least one foot connected to the bottom. According to this exemplary embodiment, the body is configured to elastically deform in order to hold a food item therebetween, and at least two of the handle, the stem, and the body contributes to the sinusoidal shape of the dunking tool. Further, the body may have at least one rib, at least one shoulder, at least one clutch, and at least one opening in the bottom.
-
FIGS. 1A-1B illustrate an exemplary embodiment of a dunking tool in profile and isometric views, respectively. -
FIGS. 1C-D illustrate the exemplary embodiment of a dunking tool as inFIGS. 1A-1B , from the reverse side and underneath, respectively. -
FIGS. 2A-D illustrate another exemplary embodiments of a dunking tool from multiple vantage points. -
FIGS. 3A-C illustrate another exemplary embodiment of a dunking tool from multiple vantage points. -
FIGS. 4A-D illustrate yet another exemplary embodiment of a dunking tool from multiple vantage points - In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures. The drawing figures, elements and other depictions should be understood as being interchangeable and may be combined in any like manner in accordance with the disclosures and objectives recited herein.
- With reference to
FIGS. 1A-B , anexemplary dunking tool 100 may be comprised of three sections, a holdingsection 10, anextender section 20, and ahandle section 30. Each of sections 10-30 may be formed in any way or shape provided they accord with the goals and disclosures herein. Each of sections 10-30 may be interconnected mechanically or may be made from one integral piece of material. In one aspect, anexemplary dunking tool 100 comprised of interconnection sections preferably has only interconnection points betweenhandle section 30 andextender section 20, as it is preferable to avoid gaps and spaces between pans in the regions that are submerged, e.g., holdingsection 10 and lower parts ofextender section 20 that interact with holdingsection 10. In another aspect, anexemplary dunking tool 100 may be comprised ofinterchangeable handle sections 30. In a still further aspect, thedunking tool 100 may take the shape of animals or other creatures to double as a toy for children, an example of which may be illustrated inFIGS. 4A-D . - With reference to
FIG. 1A , anexemplary dunking tool 100 may have a generally sinusoidal or “S” shape formed by thesections sections exemplary holding section 10 imparts particular advantages to thedunking tool 100. Thedunking tool 100 may have astem 21 and ahandle 31. In an exemplary embodiment, the angle betweenstem 21 and handle 31 may be an acute angle, but may be as large as a right angle. In a preferred embodiment, the angle betweenstem 21 and handle 31 should be no greater than 45 degrees. In another preferred embodiment, anexemplary handle 31 may extend no further than the length ofstem 21. In an exemplary embodiment, thehandle 31 may advantageously be placed viastem 21 so that its center of gravity may be substantially aligned with the center of gravity of the food item held in the holdingsection 10. Implicit in this sinusoidal design is a reduction in the moment created by loading adunking tool 100 with a food item, which could affect the enjoyment of using the device by children by reducing the amount of control over the dunking process. Where handle 31 is substantially aligned with the center of gravity of the food item to be held in the body, the unwanted effect of moment creation in thedunking tool 100 may be substantially reduced, if not eliminated. - An
exemplary holding section 10 may comprise abody 1, one ormore ribs 2, ashoulder 3, and one ormore feet 4 disposed below theribs 2. With reference toFIG. 1B , anexemplary holding section 10 may also have one ormore arms 5, acavity 6, andclutches 7. In an exemplary embodiment, all parts of holdingsection 10 may be molded from a unitary piece of material, such as a plastic or an elastomer. In a preferred embodiment, the holdingsection 10 may be molded entirely from silicone rubber. According to the illustrative embodiment ofFIGS. 1A and 1B , thebody 1 may be the receptacle in which a food item, such as a cookie, fruit, vegetable, meat product, candy, or other confection, may be placed prior to being lowered into a dunking medium, e.g., a glass, bowl, or pot. Anexemplary body 1 may hold such a food item steadily by embracing the surfaces of the food item withincavity 6 using a combination ofarms 5, shoulders 3,ribs 2, andclutches 7.Arms 5 may tend to “hug” the food item when installed in thetool 100 whileshoulders 3 andribs 2 may keep the food item from tipping out of thetool 100. Finally, anexemplary clutch 7 may also “hug” the food item, but also prohibits it from falling out of thetool 100, especially in the situation wherearms 5 may be too tight to hug the food item. - Where an
exemplary arm 5 is made from a flexible material, such anexemplary arm 5 may bend to accommodate food items of different thicknesses and shapes. Similarly, whereexemplary shoulders 3 and/orribs 2 are made from a flexible material, these too may bend and stretch to accommodate food items of different thicknesses and shapes. Where anexemplary clutch 7 is provided with flexibility, it may accommodate food items of larger widths and lengths because the flexing ofclutch 7 may be substantially perpendicular to the flexing experienced at anexemplary arm 5,shoulder 3, and/orrib 2. Anexemplary clutch 7 may be hook shaped or tapered flat. An objective ofclutch 7 may be to prohibit a food item from falling out of thebody 1 during dunking withtool 100. Thus, thebody 1 of holdingsection 10 may comprise one or more features that will hold a food item tightly while being immersed in a dunking medium with limited risk of it falling out of thetool 100. - In an exemplary embodiment where dunking
tool 100 may be used to dunk cookies, anexemplary shoulder 3 may be positioned so that it is between 1.25 inches and 1.5 inches above the lower-most surface ofcavity 6, which may be half the width of a standard cookie. In another aspect of this exemplary embodiment, anexemplary cavity 6 may be between about 0.25 inches and about 0.375 inches, which may the thickness of a standard cookie. In an exemplary embodiment, anexemplary clutch 7 may be the same height as theshoulder 3 or it may extend upwardly towards the top of holdingsection 10. According to this latter option, anexemplary clutch 7 may be very flexible and bendable to allow for easy access to the held food item yet protect against it falling out of thetool 100 during dunking operations. - As may be illustrated in
FIGS. 1A-C , spacing betweenshoulder 3 andrib 2 and spacing betweenclutches 7 may provide the advantage of increasing the surface area of the food item available for contact with the dunking medium, e.g., milk, broth, or sauces. Another advantage provided by spaced-apart shoulders 3,ribs 2, andclutches 7 may also be a friction fit around the food item within dunkingtool 100. In one example, the flexible elastomeric material comprising one or more ofshoulders 3,ribs 2, andclutches 7 may tightly hold the food item as it is immersed in a dunking medium and avoid it moving out of place when it is submerged and taken out of the dunking medium. This may be capable whereshoulders 3 andribs 2 are made of a flexible material that wishes to maintain its as-molded conformation so that when a food item is thrust in between opposingshoulders 3 orribs 2, they may hug or press against the food item in the process. An exemplary friction fit created by the aforementioned features ofbody 1 in the holdingsection 10 may also allow a user to take the dunked food item out of dunkingtool 100 without the food item breaking apart. In an exemplary method, a user may push on theclutches 7 towardsstem 21 so thatshoulders 3 andribs 2 may bow outwardly away from the food item (that is, releasing the elastic grip on the food item). Simultaneously as a user pushesclutches 7 towardsstem 21, the circular recesses withinspace 6 may also urge the food item aboveribs 2 and/orshoulders 3 and upwardly neararms 5. According to this exemplary method of usingdunking tool 100, a food item that was once flexibly secured within holdingsection 10 may utilize the same flexibility in components to allow the food item to be released from holdingsection 10 with little or no risk of breaking or deforming the soaked food item in the release process. - As may be understood with respect to
FIG. 1D , anadditional opening 9 may be found in anexemplary bottom 8 of anexemplary tool 100.Opening 9 may be of any variety, shape, or contour provided it allows dunking medium to come in contact with the food item held withinbody 1 oftool 10. For example, opening 9 may be a plurality of circular openings in the bottom ofbody 1 of holdingsection 10 that are sized to permit dunking medium to pass but not to allow the contents ofbody 1 to fall out. - An
exemplary dunking tool 100 may use one ormore feet 4 to maintain thetool 100 in an upright position to allow for the food item held therein to be immersed and in extended contact with the dunking medium. In an exemplary embodiment,feet 4 may be arranged and shaped to fit within the perimeter of a drinking glass or bowl. Alternatively,feet 4 may be capable of manipulation by comprising bendable over-molded components to enable them to fit a desired shape. While anexemplary foot 4 may be illustrated as substantially spherical in a figure, any polyhedron shape may be used to serve the purpose of being anexemplary foot 4, such as cubic, pyramidal, trapezoidal, or combinations of the same. In an exemplary embodiment, eachfoot 4 may be spaced and sized so that dunkingtool 100 may not flip or roll over in response to being loaded with a particular food item. In another embodiment,foot 4 alone or in combination withbottom 8 may have magnetic elements to enable fixation to dunking medium containers comprising embedded metal components. Alternatively, an exemplarymagnetic bottom 8 and/orfoot 4 may be magnetic to attach to a metal container or bowl. - With continued reference to
FIGS. 1A and 1B , the junction betweenstem 21 andbody 1 may be round, flat, or contoured in a way that would complement a container into which a dunking medium may be poured, e.g., a cup, bowl, or glass. According to an exemplary embodiment, the junction betweenstem 21 andbody 1 may allow dunkingtool 100 to slide along the inside surface of a particular container for a dunking medium with little or no friction or resistance. In another aspect of this exemplary embodiment, thestem 21 andbody 1 may have one or more orifices and/or holes through each of their thickness for dunking medium to pass through. Accordingly, anexemplary body 1 and stem 21 may be configured so that they allow passage of as much dunking medium around the food item held withinbody 1 and/or allow the greatest amount of flow of dunking medium through and intodunking tool 100. - Referring now to
FIGS. 2A-D , an alternative embodiment to that previously illustrated may be depicted. As may be shown, anexemplary dunking tool 100 may comprise similar sections as was shown inFIGS. 1A-D , but with different structures and configurations, which may or may not be used in other embodiments described herein. Anexemplary body 1 may now have abase 1 b that works in conjunction withfoot 4 to stabilizedunking tool 100 in an upright position while holding an exemplary food item. In this embodiment of adunking tool 100, an exemplary pair ofribs 2 andshoulders 3 may be enclosed by asingle clutch 7. According to this exemplary embodiment, there are noarms 5 to flexibly grip a food item as the configuration ofbody 1 may usespace 6 to be a curb or backstop from an exemplary food item moving. While shown as a sloped surface inFIG. 2B , anexemplary space 6 may have edges or other conformations depending on the food item meant to be held by thedunking tool 100. As illustrated inFIGS. 2B-D , anexemplary dunking tool 100 may also have a bottom 8 that runs transversely betweenbase sides 1 b. Whilebottom 8 may be rounded, it may also be truncated to allow a flat surface to beadjacent foot 4, which is shown as a spherical protrusion frombody 1. In addition to abottom 8, theexemplary dunking tool 100 illustrated inFIGS. 2B-D also may have anopening 9 running parallel withshoulders 3 and/orribs 2. According to this exemplary embodiment, anexemplary opening 9 exposes much of the underside of an exemplary food item to the dunking medium and may even allow it to fill thespace 6 betweenribs 2 andshoulders 3 and any gaps between food item andclutch 7. Accordingly, the dunking medium may be placed in greater contact with the food item using the various narrow openings of thedunking tool 100 depicted inFIGS. 2A-D so that it takes less time to saturate the food item with the dunking medium. In one embodiment, the material making upbody 1 may be an elastomer or may also be a hard plastic. In another embodiment, the material making upbody 1 may be injection molded or 3D printed. In yet another embodiment, wherebody 1 is a flexible elastomer material, theshoulders 3 and/orribs 2 of thedunking tool 100 may operate in similar fashion to that described with reference toFIGS. 1A-D . - As may be further illustrated by
FIGS. 2A-B , anexemplary stem 21 may extend in multiple directions and flow into a hook-shapedhandle 31 that terminates in a textured end 30 (visible inFIG. 2D ). As illustrated, dunkingtool 100 inFIG. 2A may be at rest on a surface whilestem 21 may have a sinusoidal configuration with respect tobody 1. In contrast to the sinusoidal configuration involving each ofbody 1,stem 21, and handle 31 inFIG. 1A , the sinusoid ofFIG. 2A may comprise only stem 21 and handle 31. According to an exemplary embodiment,foot 4 may be of sufficient mass and weight to anchor anexemplary dunking tool 100 in an upright position despite the outward sinusoid created bystem 21 and handle 31. In an exemplary embodiment, whenbody 1 is holding an exemplary food item, the entirety of dunkingtool 100 may be better balanced given the opposite leaning disposition ofstem 21 and handle 31. However, it may be recognized that dunkingtool 100 as may be depicted inFIGS. 2A-D may achieve a sinusoidal arrangement within the container holding the dunking medium. This may occur by placingdunking tool 100 into a container so thatfoot 4 may slide along the inside surface of the container (like the junction betweenbody 1 and stem 21 in the dunking tool ofFIGS. 1A-D ). In this way, the food item may be turned at an angle with respect to the bottom of the container in the dunking medium and stem 21 may overhang the food item during the dunking process. Consequently, the center ofhook 31 may be substantially aligned with the axis of the container holding the dunking medium and the center of gravity of the food item. Not only may dunkingtool 100 may greatly expose the food item to dunking medium in this arrangement, but it can be easily pulled out using thehook 31 without spilling out of thebody 1 in the process. Alternatively, dunkingtool 100 may be placed into a container with dunking medium just as illustrated inFIG. 2A withhook 31 capable of lifting the entire device at a distance from the dunking position. Having alifting handle section 30 at position distal from the dunking position of the food item may be advantageous where the dunking medium may be hot or contain coloring that can stain clothes. For example, using thedunking tool 100 as illustrated inFIG. 2A , a user may dunk Easter eggs into colored liquid while thehook 31 is at a distance to avoid getting fingers of the user stained with the colored liquid. In another example, where dunkingtool 100 may be used to dunk chicken bones to make broth, the use ofhook 31 may keep the user from being splashed by boiling water used to make the broth with the chicken material. While anexemplary end 30 may be smooth or contoured, it may also be magnetic or friction inducing, e.g., having rubber treads or silicone abutments. - With reference to the illustrative embodiment of
FIGS. 3A-C , anexemplary dunking tool 100 may have a similar profile to that shown inFIG. 2A (as may be viewed viaFIG. 3C ), but may otherwise differ in terms of the configuration ofbody 1. According to the illustrative embodiments inFIGS. 3A-B , the addition ofarms 5 tobody 1 may be used in conjunction with the spaced relationship offlexible ribs 2 andshoulders 3 interconnecting the portion ofbody 1 nearest to stem 21 to spaced-apart clutches 7. As may be illustrated in the rear view shown inFIG. 3B , the spaced apart clutch 7 may be used in much the same way as disclosed with respect toFIGS. 1A-D . However, the design illustrated inFIGS. 3A-C may be used to frictionally-hold a food item inbody 1 by a user inserting his or her finger in thespace 6 ofbody 1 to open and close the combination ofclutches 7,ribs 2, and shoulders 3. In other words, the force-application methodology employed withFIGS. 3A-C may cause each opposingclutch 7,rib 2, andshoulder 3 combination to operate as itsown arm 5 for holding a food item. Accordingly, this particular embodiment may act like a rubber clamp to hold the food item as it is introduced to a dunking medium in a container. - Due to the nature of operation of the embodiment depicted in
FIGS. 3A-C , a food item may not need to be as deeply held withinbody 1, that is, the arm 5 (the combination ofribs 2, shoulders 3, and clutch portion 7) may be resilient enough to hold a food item at a portion rather than about a major portion, leaving more exposed food item for dunking medium interaction. Alternatively, the elasticity ofribs 2 andshoulders 3 may be such that they can fit a variety of different thickness of food item, including food items with features that could make one or both ofribs 2 and/orshoulders 3 bulge. Accordingly, an embodiment of thedunking tool 100 depicted inFIGS. 3A-C may preferably be made of an elastomer, such as silicone, and be extremely flexible in thebody 1 region. - Turning to the illustrative embodiment of
FIGS. 4A-D , anexemplary dunking tool 100 may be fashioned after a creature or figurine, such as, for example a dragon, whale, bird, or mermaid. As shown, handle 31 may be made into the head of the animal being formed as part of dunkingtool 100.Stem 21 may be the neck of the animal and the torso and tail a part of the dunking tool'sbody 1. As illustrated, theshoulder 3 may be the “back” of the creature andrib 2 an extension spaced apart from theshoulder 3. Like the feet of the creature depicted,feet 4 may be located on four corners of abase 8, which is flat to hold thedunking tool 100 erect when placed in a dunking medium in a container. As was the case inFIGS. 1A-D andFIGS. 3A-C ,clutches 7 may make up the creature's tail and may be spaced-apart. Like the sinusoidal configuration inFIGS. 1A-D , the sinusoid ofFIG. 4A may demonstrate the advantage of placinghandle 31 above the center of gravity of the food item held inbody 1. - Many further variations and modifications may suggest themselves to those skilled in art upon making reference to above disclosure and foregoing interrelated and interchangeable illustrative embodiments, which are given by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope and spirit of the interrelated embodiments of the invention described herein.
Claims (20)
1. A dunking tool having a sinusoidal shape, comprising:
a handle;
a stem extending downwardly from the handle; and
a body coupled to the stem, the body having a bottom and at least one foot connected to the bottom,
wherein the body is configured to elastically deform in order to hold a food item therebetween,
wherein at least two of the handle, the stem, and the body contribute to the sinusoidal shape of the dunking tool.
2. The dunking tool of claim 1 , wherein the body comprises at least one rib, at least one shoulder, at least one clutch, and at least one opening in the bottom.
3. The dunking tool of claim 2 , wherein the body comprises a plurality of ribs.
4. The dunking tool of claim 2 , wherein the body comprises a plurality of shoulders.
5. The dunking tool of claim 2 , wherein the body comprises a plurality of ribs and a plurality of shoulders.
6. The dunking tool of claim 2 , wherein the body comprises a plurality of clutches.
7. The dunking tool of claim 5 , wherein the body comprises a plurality of clutches.
8. The dunking tool of claim 2 , wherein the stem extends substantially over the food item held in the body.
9. The dunking tool of claim 2 , wherein the handle is substantially parallel to the bottom and is aligned with a center of the body.
10. The dunking tool of claim 1 , wherein the body deforms outwardly away from each other to hold the food item.
11. A dunking tool having a sinusoidal creature shape, comprising:
a handle that is shaped like a creature's head;
a stem extending downwardly from the handle that is shaped like the creature's neck; and
a body that is shaped like the creature's body, the body having a bottom and at least one foot connected to the bottom,
wherein the body is configured to elastically deform in order to hold a food item therebetween,
wherein at least two of the handle, the stem, and the body contribute to the sinusoidal shape of the dunking tool.
12. The dunking tool of claim 1 , wherein the body comprises at least one rib, at least one shoulder, at least one clutch, and at least one opening in the bottom.
13. The dunking tool of claim 2 , wherein the body comprises a plurality of ribs.
14. The dunking tool of claim 2 , wherein the body comprises a plurality of shoulders.
15. The dunking tool of claim 2 , wherein the body comprises a plurality of ribs and a plurality of shoulders.
16. The dunking tool of claim 2 , wherein the body comprises a plurality of clutches.
17. The dunking tool of claim 5 , wherein the body comprises a plurality of clutches.
18. The dunking tool of claim 2 , wherein the stem extends substantially over the food item held in the body.
19. The dunking tool of claim 2 , wherein the handle is substantially parallel to the bottom and is aligned with a center of the body.
20. The dunking tool of claim 1 , wherein the body deforms outwardly away from each other to hold the food item.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US17/585,520 US20230233009A1 (en) | 2022-01-26 | 2022-01-26 | Sinusoidal food label |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US17/585,520 US20230233009A1 (en) | 2022-01-26 | 2022-01-26 | Sinusoidal food label |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20230233009A1 true US20230233009A1 (en) | 2023-07-27 |
Family
ID=87313008
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US17/585,520 Pending US20230233009A1 (en) | 2022-01-26 | 2022-01-26 | Sinusoidal food label |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US20230233009A1 (en) |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20230173701A1 (en) * | 2021-12-08 | 2023-06-08 | Michael Curtis Howard ATWOOD | Food slicer |
Citations (66)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2010326A (en) * | 1934-08-24 | 1935-08-06 | John R Schuchardt | Novelty bottle opener |
US2708401A (en) * | 1951-11-29 | 1955-05-17 | Armand J Leclerc | Tea bag receptacle and squeezer |
US3149824A (en) * | 1963-02-18 | 1964-09-22 | Alphonso F Albano | Automatic mixing spoon, ladle, dipper or the like |
US3968591A (en) * | 1971-12-06 | 1976-07-13 | Pearson Jr Karl Henry | Combined spoon and toy |
USD274593S (en) * | 1982-06-10 | 1984-07-10 | Filippini Joseph D | Spoon |
USD275064S (en) * | 1981-12-14 | 1984-08-14 | Kerr-Hays Company | Plastic punch bowl ladle or similar article |
US4779344A (en) * | 1987-08-17 | 1988-10-25 | Kate Panisch | Manipulatable utensil figure |
USD310944S (en) * | 1988-05-06 | 1990-10-02 | Lutzker Robert S | Infant's feeding spoon |
USD315661S (en) * | 1988-01-15 | 1991-03-26 | Scheuerman Edwin L | Boning knife |
USD329948S (en) * | 1990-07-18 | 1992-10-06 | Terry Lee Hanner | Combined toothbrush and toothpaste dispenser |
USD332579S (en) * | 1991-07-15 | 1993-01-19 | Goldman Sarah A | Measuring spoon |
USD353687S (en) * | 1994-04-05 | 1994-12-20 | Dacko Scott G | Fingernail clipper |
USD371060S (en) * | 1995-05-22 | 1996-06-25 | Dung-Ching Lai | Knife handle |
USD390425S (en) * | 1996-10-25 | 1998-02-10 | B. Via International Housewares, Inc. | Elephant baster |
US5774921A (en) * | 1991-11-25 | 1998-07-07 | Zooth, Inc. | Child's utensil |
USD399116S (en) * | 1997-11-03 | 1998-10-06 | Action Performance Companies | Knife |
USD405658S (en) * | 1998-06-15 | 1999-02-16 | Jac Investments, Inc. | Decorative spoon |
USD412427S (en) * | 1996-02-15 | 1999-08-03 | Adic AB | Set of knives in a holder having a mouse motif |
US5946807A (en) * | 1998-07-02 | 1999-09-07 | Jac Investments, Inc. | Novelty spoon |
USD414382S (en) * | 1998-06-15 | 1999-09-28 | Jac Investments, Inc. | Decorative spoon |
US6036038A (en) * | 1998-06-10 | 2000-03-14 | Lovelace; Diane H. | Food packaging system including content lifting insert |
US6105254A (en) * | 1998-03-23 | 2000-08-22 | Jac Investments, Inc. | Articulating spoon |
US6145204A (en) * | 1999-10-15 | 2000-11-14 | Cash; Diane M. | Eating implement |
USD445661S1 (en) * | 2000-04-04 | 2001-07-31 | Martin Chen | Knife |
USD451572S1 (en) * | 2001-01-10 | 2001-12-04 | Barker, Ii Robert W. | Lobster knife |
USD452547S1 (en) * | 2000-09-29 | 2001-12-25 | Barker, Ii Robert W. | Unicorn knife |
US6363568B1 (en) * | 1991-11-25 | 2002-04-02 | Zooth, Inc. | Child's utensil |
US6598297B1 (en) * | 2001-10-01 | 2003-07-29 | Shane Michael Matt | Combination knife, turning hook and bottle de-capper, with animal shape |
US20040084912A1 (en) * | 2002-10-31 | 2004-05-06 | Palmieri Dino A. | Tool for sandwich cookie dunking |
US20040244596A1 (en) * | 2003-06-03 | 2004-12-09 | Ogline Barry Lynn | Cookie dipper |
US20050034311A1 (en) * | 2003-08-11 | 2005-02-17 | Crane John A. | Figure forming articulating spoon |
US20050109222A1 (en) * | 2003-10-01 | 2005-05-26 | Weston Swenson | Cookie handling device and method of use |
USD519004S1 (en) * | 2005-04-20 | 2006-04-18 | Billy Eugene Archer | Cookie dipper |
US7090269B2 (en) * | 2003-07-14 | 2006-08-15 | Ashley Kelsey | Culinary apparatus |
USD549526S1 (en) * | 2006-11-06 | 2007-08-28 | Mastrad Sa | Spoon |
USD579736S1 (en) * | 2007-08-31 | 2008-11-04 | Cotter Mark E | Cookie dipper |
WO2009032784A2 (en) * | 2007-08-28 | 2009-03-12 | Kowlessar David S | Sip and dip cookie apparatus |
US7552674B1 (en) * | 2006-01-31 | 2009-06-30 | Cotter Mark E | Cookie support system |
US20100186236A1 (en) * | 2009-01-26 | 2010-07-29 | Topolinski Dora J | Beverage utensil |
US7836821B2 (en) * | 2007-08-16 | 2010-11-23 | Bryan Daniel Smith | Fun dipper |
US20100295328A1 (en) * | 2009-05-20 | 2010-11-25 | Fiorino Anthony S | Cookie dunking spoon |
US8074564B2 (en) * | 2007-08-28 | 2011-12-13 | Kowlessar David S | Sip and dip cookie apparatus |
USD658454S1 (en) * | 2007-09-05 | 2012-05-01 | Cotter Mark E | Cookie dipper |
USD661163S1 (en) * | 2012-01-04 | 2012-06-05 | Universal Trim Supply Co., Ltd. | Cookie dunking spoon |
CA2773023A1 (en) * | 2012-03-30 | 2012-06-08 | Robert Haleluk | Sandwich cookie dipper |
US20120321775A1 (en) * | 2011-06-20 | 2012-12-20 | Burton & Parker Enterprises Llc. | Apparatus and method for holding a cookie |
USD690993S1 (en) * | 2012-11-08 | 2013-10-08 | Kristine Janelle Im | Utensil accessory |
USD700812S1 (en) * | 2012-07-30 | 2014-03-11 | Valentina M. Arnold | Feeding utensil for mammals |
USD706086S1 (en) * | 2013-07-09 | 2014-06-03 | Lonnie Bagley, Jr. | Infant's spoon |
USD718984S1 (en) * | 2013-03-25 | 2014-12-09 | Marco Musumeci | Air spoon for children |
US9016194B2 (en) * | 2010-08-31 | 2015-04-28 | Robert Haleluk | Sandwich cookie dipper |
US20150289693A1 (en) * | 2014-04-09 | 2015-10-15 | David M. LOSEE | Cookie-Dunking spoon |
US9538873B2 (en) * | 2013-12-09 | 2017-01-10 | Toby M Gardeski | Apparatus and methods for dipping or dunking snacks into beverages |
USD784096S1 (en) * | 2015-10-27 | 2017-04-18 | R J Jones | Cookie-dipping tongs |
USD817726S1 (en) * | 2016-11-28 | 2018-05-15 | Benjamin Stewart | Spoon |
USD823073S1 (en) * | 2017-08-01 | 2018-07-17 | Lori Crowley | Feeding spoon |
USD832062S1 (en) * | 2016-01-20 | 2018-10-30 | Charles Julian Kevorkian | Spatula |
USD840769S1 (en) * | 2017-12-19 | 2019-02-19 | Carter T. Malcolm | Eating utensil |
US10413103B1 (en) * | 2019-02-06 | 2019-09-17 | Mindscope Products Inc. | Device transformable between a toy and an eating utensil |
USD876839S1 (en) * | 2019-01-17 | 2020-03-03 | Live-Right, Llc | Toothbrush |
USD897789S1 (en) * | 2019-04-06 | 2020-10-06 | Lindsey Ferrell | Utensil |
US20210204733A1 (en) * | 2020-01-08 | 2021-07-08 | Melanie Sutherland | Self-balancing flatware |
USD943367S1 (en) * | 2019-11-27 | 2022-02-15 | Ryan Groos | Ladle |
US11324345B2 (en) * | 2020-04-19 | 2022-05-10 | Jeremy Oehlert | Clandestine articulating utensil |
US11638495B2 (en) * | 2021-06-10 | 2023-05-02 | Ashley Deaton | Oral motor spoon |
USD987387S1 (en) * | 2021-07-21 | 2023-05-30 | William Clayton Rose | Cookie tong |
-
2022
- 2022-01-26 US US17/585,520 patent/US20230233009A1/en active Pending
Patent Citations (70)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2010326A (en) * | 1934-08-24 | 1935-08-06 | John R Schuchardt | Novelty bottle opener |
US2708401A (en) * | 1951-11-29 | 1955-05-17 | Armand J Leclerc | Tea bag receptacle and squeezer |
US3149824A (en) * | 1963-02-18 | 1964-09-22 | Alphonso F Albano | Automatic mixing spoon, ladle, dipper or the like |
US3968591A (en) * | 1971-12-06 | 1976-07-13 | Pearson Jr Karl Henry | Combined spoon and toy |
USD275064S (en) * | 1981-12-14 | 1984-08-14 | Kerr-Hays Company | Plastic punch bowl ladle or similar article |
USD274593S (en) * | 1982-06-10 | 1984-07-10 | Filippini Joseph D | Spoon |
US4779344A (en) * | 1987-08-17 | 1988-10-25 | Kate Panisch | Manipulatable utensil figure |
USD315661S (en) * | 1988-01-15 | 1991-03-26 | Scheuerman Edwin L | Boning knife |
USD310944S (en) * | 1988-05-06 | 1990-10-02 | Lutzker Robert S | Infant's feeding spoon |
USD329948S (en) * | 1990-07-18 | 1992-10-06 | Terry Lee Hanner | Combined toothbrush and toothpaste dispenser |
USD332579S (en) * | 1991-07-15 | 1993-01-19 | Goldman Sarah A | Measuring spoon |
US5774921A (en) * | 1991-11-25 | 1998-07-07 | Zooth, Inc. | Child's utensil |
US6363568B1 (en) * | 1991-11-25 | 2002-04-02 | Zooth, Inc. | Child's utensil |
USD353687S (en) * | 1994-04-05 | 1994-12-20 | Dacko Scott G | Fingernail clipper |
USD371060S (en) * | 1995-05-22 | 1996-06-25 | Dung-Ching Lai | Knife handle |
USD412427S (en) * | 1996-02-15 | 1999-08-03 | Adic AB | Set of knives in a holder having a mouse motif |
USD390425S (en) * | 1996-10-25 | 1998-02-10 | B. Via International Housewares, Inc. | Elephant baster |
USD399116S (en) * | 1997-11-03 | 1998-10-06 | Action Performance Companies | Knife |
US6105254A (en) * | 1998-03-23 | 2000-08-22 | Jac Investments, Inc. | Articulating spoon |
US6036038A (en) * | 1998-06-10 | 2000-03-14 | Lovelace; Diane H. | Food packaging system including content lifting insert |
USD405658S (en) * | 1998-06-15 | 1999-02-16 | Jac Investments, Inc. | Decorative spoon |
USD414382S (en) * | 1998-06-15 | 1999-09-28 | Jac Investments, Inc. | Decorative spoon |
US5946807A (en) * | 1998-07-02 | 1999-09-07 | Jac Investments, Inc. | Novelty spoon |
US6145204A (en) * | 1999-10-15 | 2000-11-14 | Cash; Diane M. | Eating implement |
USD445661S1 (en) * | 2000-04-04 | 2001-07-31 | Martin Chen | Knife |
USD452547S1 (en) * | 2000-09-29 | 2001-12-25 | Barker, Ii Robert W. | Unicorn knife |
USD451572S1 (en) * | 2001-01-10 | 2001-12-04 | Barker, Ii Robert W. | Lobster knife |
US6598297B1 (en) * | 2001-10-01 | 2003-07-29 | Shane Michael Matt | Combination knife, turning hook and bottle de-capper, with animal shape |
US20040084912A1 (en) * | 2002-10-31 | 2004-05-06 | Palmieri Dino A. | Tool for sandwich cookie dunking |
US20040244596A1 (en) * | 2003-06-03 | 2004-12-09 | Ogline Barry Lynn | Cookie dipper |
US7090269B2 (en) * | 2003-07-14 | 2006-08-15 | Ashley Kelsey | Culinary apparatus |
US20050034311A1 (en) * | 2003-08-11 | 2005-02-17 | Crane John A. | Figure forming articulating spoon |
US20050109222A1 (en) * | 2003-10-01 | 2005-05-26 | Weston Swenson | Cookie handling device and method of use |
USD519004S1 (en) * | 2005-04-20 | 2006-04-18 | Billy Eugene Archer | Cookie dipper |
US7552674B1 (en) * | 2006-01-31 | 2009-06-30 | Cotter Mark E | Cookie support system |
USD549526S1 (en) * | 2006-11-06 | 2007-08-28 | Mastrad Sa | Spoon |
US7836821B2 (en) * | 2007-08-16 | 2010-11-23 | Bryan Daniel Smith | Fun dipper |
US8074564B2 (en) * | 2007-08-28 | 2011-12-13 | Kowlessar David S | Sip and dip cookie apparatus |
WO2009032784A2 (en) * | 2007-08-28 | 2009-03-12 | Kowlessar David S | Sip and dip cookie apparatus |
US8281708B2 (en) * | 2007-08-28 | 2012-10-09 | Kowlessar David S | Sip and dip cookie apparatus |
US8333145B2 (en) * | 2007-08-28 | 2012-12-18 | Kowlessar David S | Sip and dip cookie apparatus |
USD579736S1 (en) * | 2007-08-31 | 2008-11-04 | Cotter Mark E | Cookie dipper |
USD658454S1 (en) * | 2007-09-05 | 2012-05-01 | Cotter Mark E | Cookie dipper |
US20100186236A1 (en) * | 2009-01-26 | 2010-07-29 | Topolinski Dora J | Beverage utensil |
US20100295328A1 (en) * | 2009-05-20 | 2010-11-25 | Fiorino Anthony S | Cookie dunking spoon |
US9016194B2 (en) * | 2010-08-31 | 2015-04-28 | Robert Haleluk | Sandwich cookie dipper |
US20120321775A1 (en) * | 2011-06-20 | 2012-12-20 | Burton & Parker Enterprises Llc. | Apparatus and method for holding a cookie |
USD661163S1 (en) * | 2012-01-04 | 2012-06-05 | Universal Trim Supply Co., Ltd. | Cookie dunking spoon |
CA2773023A1 (en) * | 2012-03-30 | 2012-06-08 | Robert Haleluk | Sandwich cookie dipper |
USD700812S1 (en) * | 2012-07-30 | 2014-03-11 | Valentina M. Arnold | Feeding utensil for mammals |
USD690993S1 (en) * | 2012-11-08 | 2013-10-08 | Kristine Janelle Im | Utensil accessory |
USD718984S1 (en) * | 2013-03-25 | 2014-12-09 | Marco Musumeci | Air spoon for children |
USD706086S1 (en) * | 2013-07-09 | 2014-06-03 | Lonnie Bagley, Jr. | Infant's spoon |
US9538873B2 (en) * | 2013-12-09 | 2017-01-10 | Toby M Gardeski | Apparatus and methods for dipping or dunking snacks into beverages |
US9833091B2 (en) * | 2013-12-09 | 2017-12-05 | Toby M Gardeski | Apparatus and methods for dipping or dunking snacks into beverages |
US20150289693A1 (en) * | 2014-04-09 | 2015-10-15 | David M. LOSEE | Cookie-Dunking spoon |
USD784096S1 (en) * | 2015-10-27 | 2017-04-18 | R J Jones | Cookie-dipping tongs |
USD832062S1 (en) * | 2016-01-20 | 2018-10-30 | Charles Julian Kevorkian | Spatula |
USD817726S1 (en) * | 2016-11-28 | 2018-05-15 | Benjamin Stewart | Spoon |
USD823073S1 (en) * | 2017-08-01 | 2018-07-17 | Lori Crowley | Feeding spoon |
USD840769S1 (en) * | 2017-12-19 | 2019-02-19 | Carter T. Malcolm | Eating utensil |
US10959554B2 (en) * | 2017-12-19 | 2021-03-30 | Constructive Eating, Inc. | Utensil configured to interact with food items |
USD876839S1 (en) * | 2019-01-17 | 2020-03-03 | Live-Right, Llc | Toothbrush |
US10413103B1 (en) * | 2019-02-06 | 2019-09-17 | Mindscope Products Inc. | Device transformable between a toy and an eating utensil |
USD897789S1 (en) * | 2019-04-06 | 2020-10-06 | Lindsey Ferrell | Utensil |
USD943367S1 (en) * | 2019-11-27 | 2022-02-15 | Ryan Groos | Ladle |
US20210204733A1 (en) * | 2020-01-08 | 2021-07-08 | Melanie Sutherland | Self-balancing flatware |
US11324345B2 (en) * | 2020-04-19 | 2022-05-10 | Jeremy Oehlert | Clandestine articulating utensil |
US11638495B2 (en) * | 2021-06-10 | 2023-05-02 | Ashley Deaton | Oral motor spoon |
USD987387S1 (en) * | 2021-07-21 | 2023-05-30 | William Clayton Rose | Cookie tong |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20230173701A1 (en) * | 2021-12-08 | 2023-06-08 | Michael Curtis Howard ATWOOD | Food slicer |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
US4791030A (en) | Super hero cup holder | |
US2591261A (en) | Confection mold | |
US5946807A (en) | Novelty spoon | |
CA2865090C (en) | Assisted eating aid | |
WO2015165362A1 (en) | Tableware for specialized persons | |
US20230233009A1 (en) | Sinusoidal food label | |
US20060040020A1 (en) | Food product | |
US10893778B1 (en) | Serving spoon with depression forming feature | |
WO2012008942A1 (en) | Container having single piece support member and method of manufacture thereof | |
US4606569A (en) | Tongs for grasping food | |
US5678694A (en) | Food and beverage tray | |
WO2001006900A1 (en) | Candystraw | |
US9016194B2 (en) | Sandwich cookie dipper | |
US20140310961A1 (en) | Children's eating utensil | |
CN109071062B (en) | Feeding aid and method of use | |
KR20080001177U (en) | Assembling-dismantling type spoon and chopsticks | |
JP4475626B2 (en) | Tableware | |
US8722121B2 (en) | Candy holder and candy product including the same | |
CA1337749C (en) | Composite food product | |
AU753162B2 (en) | Ice-cream management device | |
KR970005292Y1 (en) | Chopsticks and spoon | |
KR200472619Y1 (en) | Tableware | |
KR200255580Y1 (en) | A Candy Container | |
JP3082851U (en) | Food and drink grip with play | |
EP4344586A1 (en) | Ergonomic bowls and other vessels for water and foodstuff |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
STPP | Information on status: patent application and granting procedure in general |
Free format text: DOCKETED NEW CASE - READY FOR EXAMINATION |
|
STPP | Information on status: patent application and granting procedure in general |
Free format text: NON FINAL ACTION MAILED |
|
STPP | Information on status: patent application and granting procedure in general |
Free format text: RESPONSE TO NON-FINAL OFFICE ACTION ENTERED AND FORWARDED TO EXAMINER |
|
STPP | Information on status: patent application and granting procedure in general |
Free format text: NON FINAL ACTION MAILED |