BACKGROUND

[0001] The present invention relates to portable cutlery, and more particularly to portable compact utensils associated with food preparation and consumption.

[0002] Conventional utensils are often made of metal and are sturdy but heavy and bulky. They are often not designed to be packed into a small lightweight package for easy retrieval, such as for a camping or backpacking trip.

[0003] Attempts have been made at using alternative lightweight materials such as plastics, but these plastic utensils are still bulky. Consequently, a full set of conventional cooking, serving and/or eating utensils takes up too much space and/or weight.

[0004] It is therefore apparent that an urgent need exists for a set of portable utensils that are lightweight, compact, nestable, and configurable for cooking, serving and/or eating. These improved utensils enable a traveler, such as a camper or backpacker, to carry a functional set of utensils without taking up too much space or weight.

SUMMARY

[0005] To achieve the foregoing and in accordance with the present invention, portable cutlery is provided. In particular, portable, compact and nestable utensils associated with food preparation and consumption are provided.

[0006] In one embodiment, a set of nestable utensil includes a first utensil having a handle and a service end, and a second utensil having a handle and a service end. The handle of the first utensil is configured to mate with a substantial portion of the handle of the second utensil in a first relative orientation whereby profiles of utensils are substantially aligned thereby enabling compact storage. The handle of the first utensil is also configured to mate with the substantial portion of the handle of the second utensil in a second relative orientation whereby the profiles of utensils are substantially opposed, thereby resulting in the respective service ends to face each other and enabling the mated pair of utensils to substantially operate as a tong for handling food.

[0007] In some embodiments, the handle of the first utensil is further configured to mate with the handle of the second utensil in a third relative orientation thereby extending the overall combined length of the first and second utensil and extending the reach of the utensils, and wherein the service ends of the first and second utensil extend away from each other.

[0008] Note that the various features of the present invention described above may be practiced alone or in combination. These and other features of the present invention will be described in more detail below in the detailed description of the invention and in conjunction with the following figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] In order that the present invention may be more clearly ascertained, some embodiments will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0010] Figures 1A-1D show a top view, a perspective view, a back view and a side view of a set of nestable utensils that can be configured to operate like tongs in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

[0011] Figures 2A-2D are corresponding views of the set of nestable utensils of Figures 1A-1D reconfigured for compact storage;

[0012] Figures 3-8 illustrate various embodiments of nestable utensils in accordance with the present invention; and

[0013] Figure 9 illustrates a modified embodiment of nestable utensils of

Figures 1A-1D wherein the pair of utensils are reconfigured to extend the reach of the utensils. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to several embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art, that embodiments may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other instances, well known process steps and/or structures have not been described in detail in order to not unnecessarily obscure the present invention. The features and advantages of embodiments may be better understood with reference to the drawings and discussions that follow.

[0015] The present invention relates to portable cutlery, and more particularly to portable, compact, nestable and re-configurable utensils associated with food preparation and consumption. To facilitate discussion, Figures 1A-1D show a top view, a perspective view, a back view and a side view of a set of nestable utensils configured to handle food in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In addition, Figures 2A-2D are corresponding views of the set of nestable utensils of Figures 1A-1D reconfigured for compact storage.

[0016] Referring first to Figures 1A-1D, one embodiment of a set of nestable utensils 100 includes at least two exemplary utensils, for example, a ladle 120 and a spatula 110. Utensil 120 includes a substantially hollow handle 122 configured to be operatively coupled, i.e., mated in a first relative orientation, to a handle 1 12 of utensil 110 thereby enabling the mated pair of utensils 100 to function as a tong, useful for manipulating food, as illustrated by Figures IB-ID. Note that in this exemplary configuration, the respective concave service ends of the utensils 1 10, 120 are facing each other, i.e., opposing each other.

[0017] In this embodiment, the respective curvatures of the utensil handles

1 12, 122 are also designed so that when mated in a second relative orientation as shown in Figures 2A-2D, the pair of utensils can also be coupled to each other for compact storage. Note that in this second exemplary configuration, the concave service ends of utensils are facing the same direction. [0018] In some embodiments, the entryway of handle 122 of ladle 120 may also be flared to enable easy insertion of handle 1 12. The profiles of the handles 1 12, 122 are slightly and/or gently tapered toward the respective handle ends 1 13, 123, so that the utensils nest snugly without jamming, thereby increasing the ease of coupling and decoupling of utensils 1 10, 120 to and from each other, respectively.

[0019] It can be appreciated that the nesting order of utensil set 100 can be reversed. For example, instead of inserting spatula handle 112 into ladle handle 122, in a different embodiment (not shown), a ladle may be inserted into a fork. It is also possible to nest three or more utensils into a compact and useful utensil set.

[0020] Figures 5-8 illustrate various embodiments of nestable utensils in accordance with the present invention. Figures 3 and 4 are top views of the ladle 120 and spatula 110 having a strainer 418. Figures 5 and 6 are top views of a spatula 510 having a strainer 518 and a serrated edge 519, and another spatula 610 having strainers 618a, 618b, 618c and tines 619a, 619b, 619c, 619d, 619e. Figures 7 and 8 are top views of a spatula 820 having strainers 718a, 718b ... 718m and tines 719a, 719b ... 719e, and a ladle 820 having strainers 828a, 828b ... 828m and a scooping edge 826.

[0021] Figure 9 illustrates a modified embodiment of a reconfigurable nestable utensil set wherein the utensils 910, 920 can be reconfigured to extend the reach of either one of utensils 910, 920. This configuration can be accomplished by for example slightly flaring the end of utensil handle 922, so that utensil handles 912, 922 can be easily and securely mated together.

[0022] Many modifications and additions are also possible. For example, a depressible latch (not shown) may be incorporated in one utensil handle configured to deploy once inserted into a corresponding utensil handle of the utensil set, thereby further securing the utensils together.

[0023] In sum, the present invention provides portable, compact, nestable and re-configurable utensil sets useful for food preparation and consumption, especially in an offsite setting such as a campsite. The advantages include the ability to configure a minimal set of utensils for a wide variety of food handling functions, thereby minimizing the weight and size of the utensil sets. [0024] While this invention has been described in terms of several embodiments, there are alterations, modifications, permutations, and substitute equivalents, which fall within the scope of this invention. It should also be noted that there are many alternative ways of implementing the methods and apparatuses of the present invention. It is therefore intended that the following appended claims be interpreted as including all such alterations, modifications, permutations, and substitute equivalents as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention.