CONNECTING MEMBER FOR TONG-LIKE STRUCTURE CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/817,452, filed on April 30, 2013, and U.S. Non-Provisional Patent Application No. 13/937,399, filed on July 9, 2013. The subject matter of this earlier filed application is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD

[0002] The present invention generally relates to a connecting member and, more particularly, to a pair of connecting members configured to form a tong- like structure from a pair of utensils.

BACKGROUND

[0003] Eating habits in western culture generally include using plates to serve food and eating utensils to move food from the plate to the mouth of the user. Utensils may include spoons, forks, knifes, chopsticks, tongs, etc. Tongs, for example, are primarily used for serving salad and similar types of food on plates, in bowls, etc. [0004] The use of tongs has increased in popularity over time to prevent direct contact between a person's hands and the food. For example, tongs prevent the person from directly contacting when he or she removes salad from, or mixes salad in, a salad bowl, for example.

[0005] However, the use of tongs may require another set of utensils on the table, as well as increase the cost for a person purchasing the utensils. Accordingly, an alternative approach and mechanism may be beneficial.

SUMMARY

[0006] Certain embodiments of the present invention may provide solutions to the problems and needs in the art that have not yet been fully identified, appreciated, or solved by current utensils. For example, some embodiments of the present invention pertain to a connecting member located at one end of a utensil. An identical connecting member may be located at another end of another utensil. The connecting member and the identical connecting member may connect with each other to form a tong-like structure.

[0007] In one embodiment, a tong-like structure includes a first connecting member proximate to a tip of a handle of a first utensil and a second connecting member proximate to a tip of a handle of a second utensil. The second connecting member is identical to the first connecting member. The first connecting member is configured to connect with the second connecting member to form a tong-like structure. [0008] In another embodiment, a pair of utensils are configured to form a tong-like structure. The pair of utensils include a first utensil comprising an interlock and a second utensil comprising an interlock. The interlock of the first utensil is configured to connect with the interlock of the second utensil to create the tong-like structure. The interlock of the second utensil is identical to the interlock of the first utensil.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] In order that the advantages of certain embodiments of the invention will be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawings. While it should be understood that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0010] FIGS. 1-4 illustrate utensils comprising identical connecting members, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate a set of tongs from a pair of utensils, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0012] FIG. 7 illustrates a pair of connecting members in an open state and a connected state, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [0013] FIG. 8 illustrates a connecting member, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0014] FIG. 9 illustrates a pair of connecting members in an open state and a connected state, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] FIGS. 10A and 10B illustrate a pair of connecting members, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] FIG. 1 1 illustrates a connecting member, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] FIG. 12 illustrates a pair of connecting members in an open state and a connected state, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] FIG. 13 illustrates a connecting member, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] FIG. 14 illustrates a pair of connecting members in an open state and a connected state, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] FIG. 15 illustrates a pair of connecting members in an open state and a connected state, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] FIGS. 16A-C illustrate a pair of connecting members, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] FIGS. 17A-C illustrate a pair of connecting members, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] FIG. 18 illustrates a pair of connecting members, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [0024] FIG. 19 illustrates a pair of connecting members, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] FIG. 20 illustrates a single utensil from a pair of utensils, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0026] Embodiments of the present invention pertain to a pair universal interlocking mechanisms including a pair of identical connecting members that connect two utensils to form a tong-like structure.

[0027] FIGS. 1-4 illustrate utensils 100, 200, 300, 400, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Utensil 100 is a knife, utensil 200 is a fork, utensil 300 is a spoon, and utensil 400 is a spork. It should be appreciated that other types of utensils may be used, such as a chopstick, a spatula, etc. Each utensil 100, 200, 300, 400 includes an identical connecting member 105, 205, 305, 405 at one end of utensil 100, 200, 300, 400. It should be appreciated that connecting member 105, 205, 305, 405 may be proximate to a tip of a handle of respective utensil 100, 200, 300, 400. Connecting member 105, 205, 305, 405 may also be called an interlock, interlocking mechanism, or any feature that allows two units to connect with each other.

[0028] Connecting member 105 may connect with, or snap together with, any identical connecting member 205, 305, 405 shown in FIGS. 2-4, or another connecting member from another knife, to form a tong-like structure. FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate a set of tong-like structures 500, 600 from a pair of utensils, according to an embodiment of the present invention. These tong-like structures are formed from various combinations of same or different utensils shown in FIGS. 1-4.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 7, a connecting member 700 includes at least one male component 705 and at least one female component 710 for connecting purposes. Stated differently, regardless of the type of utensil, each connecting member 700 includes at least one male component 705 and at least one female component 710.

[0030] FIG. 8 illustrates a pair 800 of connecting members 805, 810 in an open (or unconnected) state 815 and a connected state 820, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Pair of connecting members 800 includes a first connecting member 805 and a second connecting member 810. First connecting member 805 includes a male component and a female component. Second connecting member 810 includes identical components to first connecting member 805, i.e., a male component and a female component.

[0031] In one embodiment, the male component may be an extrusion and the female component may be a recessed groove. When the male component of first connecting member 805 faces the female component of second connecting member 810, and when the female component of first connecting member 805 faces the male component of second connecting member 810, first connecting member 805 and second connecting member 810 can be easily fitted together to form a tong-like structure.

[0032] Stated differently, because first connecting member 805 and second connecting member 810 include identical components, utensils can be connected with each other, or snapped together, to form a tong-like structure. This structure allows all utensils, regardless of whether they are spoons, forks, knifes, or sporks, to include identical connecting members. By having identical connecting members, any combination of utensils of any type, including the same type, may be connected with each other to create a tong-like structure. Also, because the consumer need not purchase separate tongs, the consumer may save money.

[0033] FIG. 9 also illustrates a pair 900 of connecting members 905, 910 in an open state 915 and a connected state 920, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Similar to FIG. 8, pair of connecting members 900 includes a first connecting member 905 and a second connecting member 910. Connecting members 905, 910 both include identical male components and identical female components, allowing connecting members 905, 910 to form a tong-like structure.

[0034] FIGS. 10A and 10B illustrate a pair 1000 of connecting members 1005, 1010, according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 10A, a pair of connecting members 1000, which includes a first connecting member 1005 and a second connecting member 1010, are in an open state 1015. In FIG. 10B, first connecting member 1005 and second connecting member 1010 are in a connected state 1020 to form a tong-like structure.

[0035] FIG. 1 1 illustrates a connecting member 1 100, according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, connecting member 1 100 includes a latch (male component) 1 105 and a recess (female component) 1 1 10.

[0036] FIG. 12 illustrates a pair 1200 of connecting members 1205, 1210 in an open state 1215 and a connected state 1220, according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, pair of connecting members 1200 includes a first connecting member 1205 and a second connecting member 1210. As shown in FIG. 12, both first and second connecting members 1205, 1210 include identical male and female components. In closed state 1220, the male component of first connecting member 1205 is inserted into the female component of second connecting member 1210, and the male component of second connecting member 1210 is inserted into the female component of first connecting member 1205. This allows first and second connecting members 1205, 1210 to connect with each other to form a tong-like structure using a pair of utensils. The latches of first connecting member 1205 and second connecting member 1210 stabilize the tong-like structure and prevent dislodging.

[0037] FIG. 13 illustrates a connecting member 1300, according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, connecting member 1300 includes a male connecting member 1305 and a female connecting member 1310. As shown in FIG. 14, a pair 1400 of connecting members 1405, 1410 similar to that shown in FIG. 13 can be connected to form a tong-like structure 1420. The button-like components of each connecting member 1405, 1410 prevent the tong-like structure from dislodging and further stabilize the structure. Each connecting member 1405, 1410 includes identical male and female connecting components. The button-like components of each connecting member 1405, 1410 prevent the tong-like structure from dislodging and further stabilize the structure.

[0038] Similar to FIG. 14, FIG. 15 illustrates a pair 1500 of connecting members 1505, 1510 in an open state 1515 and connected state 1520, according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 15, a first connecting member 1505 includes a male component and a female component, and a second connecting member 1510 includes an identical male component and female component. The male and female components of the first connecting member 1505 are configured to snap together with the identical male and female components of second connecting member 1510.

[0039] FIGS. 16A-16C illustrate a pair 1600 of connecting members 1605, 1610, according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 16A, pair of connecting members 1615 are in an open state, or an unconnected state. As shown in FIG. 16B, first connecting member 1605 and second connecting member 1610 may connect to one another to be in a connected state 1620. FIG. 16C shows another connected state 1625 for first connecting member 1605 and second connecting member 1610. See, for example, FIG. 20, which shows a pair of utensils 2005, 2010 connected to form a single utensil 2000 with an extended (or longer) handle. A more detailed discussion of utensil 2000 of FIG. 20 is provided below.

[0040] Similar to FIGS. 16A-C, FIGS. 17A-C illustrate a pair 1700 of connecting members 1705, 1710, according to an embodiment of the present invention. In particular, pair 1700 of connecting members 1705, 1710 may be in an unconnected state 1715, a first connected state 1720, and a second connected state 1725.

[0041] FIG. 18 also illustrates a pair 1800 of connecting members 1805, 1810 in an unconnected state 1815 and a connected state 1820, according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 19 illustrates a pair 1900 of connecting members 1905, 1910 in an unconnected state 1915 and a connected state 1920, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] FIG. 20 illustrates a single utensil 2000 from a pair of utensils 2005, 2010, according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, connecting member 2015 of utensil 2005 and identical connecting member 2020 of utensil 2010 are configured to interlock with each other to form a single utensil 2000 with a longer or extended handle 2025. By creating a longer handle, a person can reach into a longer and/or narrower container to pull out the contents within the container. [0043] It will be readily understood that the components of various embodiments of the present invention, as generally described and illustrated in the figures herein, may be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Thus, the detailed description of the embodiments of the systems, apparatuses, methods, and computer programs of the present invention, as represented in the attached figures, is not intended to limit the scope of the invention as claimed, but is merely representative of selected embodiments of the invention.

[0044] The features, structures, or characteristics of the invention described throughout this specification may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. For example, reference throughout this specification to "certain embodiments," "some embodiments," or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases "in certain embodiments," "in some embodiment," "in other embodiments," or similar language throughout this specification do not necessarily all refer to the same group of embodiments and the described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0045] It should be noted that reference throughout this specification to features, advantages, or similar language does not imply that all of the features and advantages that may be realized with the present invention should be or are in any single embodiment of the invention. Rather, language referring to the features and advantages is understood to mean that a specific feature, advantage, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, discussion of the features and advantages, and similar language, throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, refer to the same embodiment.

[0046] Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific features or advantages of a particular embodiment. In other instances, additional features and advantages may be recognized in certain embodiments that may not be present in all embodiments of the invention.

[0047] One having ordinary skill in the art will readily understand that the invention as discussed above may be practiced with steps in a different order, and/or with hardware elements in configurations that are different than those which are disclosed. Therefore, although the invention has been described based upon these embodiments, it would be apparent to those of skill in the art that certain modifications, variations, and alternative constructions would be apparent, while remaining within the spirit and scope of the invention. In order to determine the metes and bounds of the invention, therefore, reference should be made to the appended claims.