BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION Measuring spoons (or measuring scoops, these terms are considered synonymous herein) are in widespread use for applications in which a determined quantity of a solid or liquid is desired to be used. Applications include the measuring of a determined quantity of liquid medicine for example, and also the measuring of a determined quantity of powdered milk. Measuring spoons for the latter application, particularly for use with bottle-fed babies, enable a parent or guardian to dispense a determined quantity of powdered baby milk into a vessel for mixing with water.

For simplicity, the following description refers primarily to the use of a measuring spoon for powdered milk for bottle-fed babies, but is not limited to such use.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART The baby milk powder producers typically provide a measuring spoon with each container of their milk powder, so that the parent or guardian will have the spoon ready for use when the container is first opened. The measuring spoon is designed to be disposable, so that a new spoon is provided with each new container of milk powder, it being intended that the old spoon be discarded with the empty container.

So that the parent or guardian is able to measure out the required amount of milk powder accurately, the volume of the measuring spoon is chosen so that when full, it contains the

amount of milk powder required to make up all or part of a typical baby's feed, for example one fluid ounce of milk.

To measure out the determined quantity of milk powder it is necessary that the parent or guardian completely fill the measuring spoon, and this is usually achieved by overfilling the spoon and then wiping a knife or other implement across the top of the spoon to return the excess milk powder to the container, and ensure that a precise spoonful of milk powder has been measured out.

To ensure that the correct quantity of milk powder is used for the smallest baby feed, it is necessary that the volume of the measuring spoon be chosen for the required (minimum) quantity of powdered milk. Larger feeds can be catered for as multiples of the smallest feed, by using two or more spoonfuls of powdered milk.

The requirement that the volume of the measuring spoon is determined by the smallest feed size is a considerable disadvantage, particularly to the parent or guardian of an older baby who always requires a larger feed, since that parent or guardian will always need to use more than one spoonful of milk powder for every feed.

The number of spoonfuls of milk powder required can sometimes be considerable, i. e. it is not uncommon for a parent or guardian to seek to make an eight fluid ounce feed from eight one-ounce spoonfuls. Care must be taken to ensure that the correct number of spoonfuls are used, and that each spoonful is precisely measured out. This can present difficulties to a parent or guardian who is tired, perhaps being required to make up the drink in the middle of the night, or who is distracted by the baby.

It is not possible to avoid the requirement to use a large number of spoonfuls by using instead standard measuring spoons, such as may be present in the kitchen to measure out known volumes (e. g. 5 ml, 10 ml, or 20 ml), since the volume

of milk powder required for a particular feed will seldom if ever correspond to such standard volumes. Accordingly, the only way for the parent or guardian reliably to measure out a large feed is by using the required number of spoonfuls of milk powder, with the consequent disadvantages of such a method.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a measuring spoon which avoids or reduces the above-stated problems with the known measuring spoons.

According to the invention, there is provided a measuring spoon with a variable volume.

Preferably, the volume of the measuring spoon is variable in known increments. Accordingly, the measuring spoon can be used (for example) to measure out the volume of milk powder required for a one-ounce, a two-ounce, and perhaps also a one-and-a-half-ounce feed.

Desirably, the measuring spoon includes indicator means by which the volume of the spoon can be readily observed.

Preferably, the indicator means will also show when the volume of the spoon is not one of the incremental volumes, i. e. alerting the user to set the volume correctly before use.

Preferably, the measuring spoon includes a blade with which any excess powder can be removed. Accordingly, the user does not need to locate and use a separate implement to remove the excess milk powder. Preferably also, the blade is integral with the handle. Most preferably, the blade is mounted to the handle by way of a resilient hinge means.

Such an arrangement allows the user to grasp the handle and manipulate the blade with one hand, leaving the other hand

free to hold the bottle, or the baby, as required. Users will appreciate the considerable benefit over the prior art arrangements which is afforded by such a measuring spoon, it almost invariably being necessary to use two hands with prior art measuring spoons, one to hold the measuring spoon the other to hold the wiping implement.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a measuring spoon according to the invention; and Fig. 2 is a plan view of the measuring spoon of Fig. 1 DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS The measuring spoon 10 includes a vessel 12 and a handle 14.

The vessel 12 comprises a"tube"16 which is open at both ends, and a bowl 20 which is closed at the bottom.

The tube 16 is a sliding fit within the bowl 20, and the tube 16 and bowl 20 are sized so that they can together comprise a volume sufficient to contain enough milk powder for a two-ounce feed when fully extended (as shown), and a one-ounce feed when the tube 16 is fully inserted into the bowl 20.

Though not shown in Fig. 1, the bottom edge of the tube 16 is chamferred, to avoid the presence of a ledge which might trap milk powder within the vessel 12.

In an alternative embodiment, the bowl could be of"double- wall"construction, in which one wall lies outside the tube

and the other wall lies inside the tube, the tube effectively moving within a deep groove. Such an arrangement would conceal any adjusting means, may improve the general neatness and finish of the product, and removes any trap for milk powder.

It will be understood that many different cooperating forms of bowl and tube can be provided to enable the tube to move longitudinally relative to the bowl, and to be retained thereto in a number of predetermined positions. In an alternative embodiment the bowl is a sliding fit within the tube. In other alternative embodiments the tube and bowl can carry cooperating threads, for example, and a fast- thread could be used allowing the vessel to move between its extreme positions in as little as one half-rotation, for example.

The volume of the measuring spoon could also be varied by changing its cross-sectional area (e. g. lateral adjustment).

This may be achieved with a collet mechanism, but is likely to be more complex than the disclosed embodiment.

In this embodiment, however, relative movement between the tube 16 and bowl 20 is achieved by a simple sliding movement, with the parts carry cooperating components to provide the predetermined volumes. Thus, the inside wall of the bowl 20 carries a projecting lug 22 (shown in dotted outline) which lies within a channel 24 formed in the outer wall of the tube 16. The channel 24 is in the form of a letter"E", with the vertical part 26 of the channel permitting the relative longitudinal sliding mvement, and the horizontal parts 30,32, 34 providing three retained positions corresponding to the three predetermined volumes available for the vessel 12.

As shown, the lug 22 is located within the lowermost horizontal channel part 30, corresponding to the maximum predetermined volume of the measuring spoon 10, in this

embodiment holding sufficient milk powder to make a two- ounce feed.

To alter the volume of the measuring spoon 10, the tube 16 is rotated relative to the bowl 20 until the lug 22 lies within the vertical channel part 26. The tube 16 may then be slid down into the bowl 20 until the lug 22 is opposite the horizontal channel part 32 or 34, as desired. The tube 16 and bowl 20 are then relatively rotated once again to locate the lug 22 in the channel part 32 or 34, whereupon the volume of the measuring spoon is sufficient for a one- and-a-half-ounce, or a one-ounce, feed respectively.

In the embodiment shown the predetermined volumes for the measuring spoon correspond to the volume of milk powder required to make a one-ounce, a one-and-a-half-ounce, and a two-ounce feed. In other embodiments the predetermined volumes could differ, for example being sufficient for a two-ounce, a three-ounce and a four-ounce feed.

Alternatively, the predetermined volumes could be standard units, e. g five ml. , ten ml. and fifteen ml.

The tube 16 carries indicators 36 which can be aligned with a corresponding indicator 40 on the bowl 20, it being arranged that the respective indicator 36 and indicator 40 are aligned only when the lug 22 is located at the extreme end of the respective horizontal channel part 30,32, 34 remote from the vertical channel part 26. This will ensure that the volume of the measuring spoon 10 is fixed, and will not vary inadvertently during use, as might occur if the lug 22 was located in the vertical channel part 26. Additional security can be provided if desired, for example by detent means (either within the horizontal channel parts 30,32, 34 or elsewhere), so that appreciable force is required to enable the volume of the measuring spoon to be altered.

The measuring spoon 10 has only a single channel 24 and lug 22, but alternative embodiments can have two such channels

and lugs diametrically opposed, or three or more such channels and lugs equally spaced around the vessel, as desired. A larger number of channels will likely increase the security of the measuring spoon at a chosen volume.

To facilitate complete filling of the spoon, a blade 42 is provided, which in this embodiment is mounted to the handle 14 by way of a resilient hinge 44. The lower edge 46 of the blade 42 lies flush (or approximately flush) with the top edge of the tube 16. Such an arrangement allows the user to grasp the handle 14 with the fingers of one hand, and to use the thumb (for example) of that hand to push the blade 42 across the top of the tube 16, so that any excess milk powder can be wiped off. Alternatively, the user could use one of his or her fingers to move the blade 42, so that a common design can be used in the left or right hand. The grip the user applies to the handle and blade can act to push the blade downwardly, so that it is forced against the top of the tube 16 as it is wiped thereacross, ensuring that an accurate and repeatable volume of milk powder is contained in the vessel 12. The blade 42 can carry an angled surface for engagement of the user's thumb to facilitate such downwards force being applied.

The hinge 44 is resilient so that the blade 42 will return to its rest position (as drawn) as soon as the pressure of the user's thumb is sufficiently reduced, allowing the spoonful of milk to be deposited into the bottle, and the next spoonful of milk to be scooped from the container.

Though less preferred, the blade 42 can be used independently of the variable volume measuring spoon, i. e. the advantages of the blade can be exploited also with a measuring spoon of fixed volume.

Also, whilst the blade 42 shown is substantially linear, it is not limited to such shape, but instead can be curved or bent as desired. In particular, it is believed that a blade

which initially diverges from the handle 14 and tube 16 but has its distal end bent or curved back towards the tube 14 (or has its distal end bent or curved so as to lie parallel with the handle, or to diverge away from the handle at a smaller angle) might allow easier removal of the excess powder, especially in measuring spoons used by both left- handed and right-handed persons.