TOOLFORCATCHINGANDSUPPORTINGFOOD

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a tool for catching and supporting food, particularly to a tong-shaped tool for catching and supporting food, in which each end parts in pair that contacts with food forms the shape of the half of a spoon.

Background Art

[2] As a tool for catching and supporting food, chopsticks or food tong for cooking is widely used.

[3] With respect to this, the present inventor has filed other inventions relating to tong- type chopsticks and the like such as registered Korean utility model No. 145841 and 235635, which provides chopsticks having the combined shape of chopsticks and food tong for those who are not familiar with using chopsticks or are not used to use chopsticks, such as foreigners, children, the elderly or patients who are in poor health or have tremor of the hands. Disclosure of Invention

Technical Problem

[4] However, these conventional tong-type tools for catching and supporting food as mentioned above are chopstick-like tools which are focused on stable grip or catch of food. Naturally, these chopsticks cannot function as a spoon which is possible to take and bring some food thereon and particularly possible to eat liquid food such as soup. In cooking or having a meal, there are many chances that spoon-shaped eating utensil or kitchenware is needed, depending on forms or types of food or spices.

[5] Related to this, a fork or chopsticks combined with a rotatable spoon as disclosed in

Fig. 1 has been suggested, in which a spoon (6) and a fork or a chopsticks (5) are coupled at the grip part thereof in rotatable way around the axis (1).

[6] However, such tool has relatively large volume and requires inconvenient changing of the position of the fork or chopsticks (5) and the spoon (6) as every time it is needed, thereby having some drawbacks in its use.

Technical Solution

[7] The present invention has been designed to solve the problems of conventional tools as mentioned above. In connection with it, the object of the present invention is to provide a tool for catching and supporting food, which embodies the combined functions of chopsticks of catching and supporting food and of a spoon at the same time by having a spoon-shaped food contacting part.

[8] Another object of the present invention is to provide a tool for catching and

supporting food which provides easy grasp with hand. [9] Still anther object of the present invention is to provide a tool for catching and supporting food, which can easily catch and support food without great efforts while preventing each food contacting part of the pair from being crossed when catching food. [10] Therefore, the tool for catching and supporting food which has been designed to achieve said objects according to the present invention is provided, which is a tong- type tool for food comprising a pair of sticks of which ends on one side are connected to each other and the ends on the other side form food contacting parts, characterized in that each of the food contacting parts working in pairs is shaped as the half of a spoon and thus when the each food contacting part comes in contact, forms one complete concave shape of a spoon. [11] It is preferred that the inside of one food contacting part is at least partially serrated so as to be at least partially interlocked with the correspondingly serrated inside part of the other food contacting part.

Description of Drawings [12] Fig. 1 is a view illustrating a conventional a fork or chopsticks combined with a rotatable spoon. [13] Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating one embodiment of the tool for catching and supporting food according to the present invention. [14] Fig. 3(a) is a plan view of Fig. 2, and

[15] Fig. 3(b) is a plan view of Fig. 2 in closed state.

[16] Fig. 4 is a side view of Fig. 2.

[17] Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a modified form of the tool for catching and supporting food according to the present invention. [18] Fig. 6 is a side view of Fig. 5.

[19] Fig. 7 is a view illustrating the tool represented in Fig. 5 being used.

[20] Fig. 8 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the tool for catching and supporting food according to the present invention.

[21] Fig. 9 is a view illustrating the tool represented in Fig. 8 being used.

[22] <Numerals for main parts of drawings>

[23] 10,10'... food contacting parts 11,11'...serrated parts

[24] 20,20'... grip parts contacting with fingers

[25] 21,21'... slanted parts

[26] 22,22'... concavely recessed walls

[27] 23,23'... slots

[28] 30... stick connection part

[29] 31... inner wall of the stick connection part

[30] S,S'... sticks A,A'... front parts of the sticks

[31] B,B'... rear parts of the sticks P... protrusion

[32] H... hole for insertion G... guide for insertion

Mode for Invention

[33] Figs. 2 to 4 show each perspective, plan and side view of one embodiment of a tool for catching and supporting food according to the present invention.

[34] The tool for catching and supporting food according to the present invention has the shape of a tong comprising a pair of sticks (S, S') of which ends on one side are connected to each other, as disclosed in Fig. 2. On the other ends of the sticks (S ₅ S'), a food contacting parts (10,10') are formed, each of which has the shape of the half of a spoon. When closing the food contacting parts, each of the food contacting parts (10,10') of the sticks comes into contact, thereby forming the complete shape of a spoon.

[35] In order for more correct and precise meeting of the food contacting parts (10, 10') when being contacted as well as for improving engagement of food, at least part of each facing inside of the food contacting parts may be serrated, thus forming serrated parts (11,11'). Owing to such serrated parts, when closing the tool for catching and supporting food for the use as a spoon, the food contacting parts (10,10') becomes toothed by these serrated parts (11,11'). Accordingly, crossing of the food contacting parts (10,10') can be avoided, while improving the power of engaging food when using the tool as chopsticks since food gets easily engaged to the serrated parts.

[36] The tool for catching and supporting food according to the present invention is preferred to have grip parts (20,20') contacting with fingers that are formed to be expanded as compared to the adjacent parts thereof, on about the middle of each stick(S,S'), between the food contacting parts (10,10') and stick connection part (30). When the grip parts (20,20') are more expanded than the adjacent parts thereof, it has an advantage of that, upon laying the tool, for example on the table, the bottom part of the food contacting parts (10,10') becomes remained in the air above the surface of the table, i.e. without making contact with the surface of the table, thereby avoiding con¬ tamination of the food contacting part by dirt or the like on the table.

[37] The shape of the grip parts (20,20') contacting with fingers may be variously modified for convenience of grasp. For instance, in the grip parts (20,20') contacting with fingers, which are expanded downward as disclosed in Fig. 4, when the side facing the food contacting parts (10,10') is curved concavely, grasp of the tool according to the present invention can be more easily achieved by supporting the fingers to the concavely recessed walls (22,22').

[38] When the sticks (S, S') are formed to have constant thickness and width, more strength is needed to narrow and closing the tool, and further the resilience of the tool,

by which the closed tool returns to its original open position from the closed state, becomes small, eventually resulting in deformation of the tool in long term use as each of the sticks (S ₅ S') becomes bent inward.

[39] Therefore, as being disclosed in Figs. 2 and 3, it is preferred that the rear parts

(B ₅ B') of the sticks between the grip parts (20,20') contacting with fingers and the stick connection part (30) are formed to have wider width and narrower thickness, as compared to the front parts (A ₅ A') of the sticks between the grip parts (20,20') contacting with fingers and the food contacting parts (10,10'). When using the tool for catching and supporting food according to the present invention, the rear parts (B ₅ B') of the sticks become surrounded by the fingers or palm, therefore when the width thereof is greater than that of the front parts (A ₅ A') of the sticks, it has an advantage of easy grasp. Further, when the thickness of the rear parts (B ₅ B') of the sticks is smaller than that of the front parts (A ₅ A') of the sticks, the relative differences in thickness and width among the front parts (A ₅ A') of the sticks-the rear parts (B ₅ B') of the sticks-the stick connection part (30) make the elasticity and resilience of the rear parts (B ₅ B') of the sticks increased. Therefore, providing the grip parts (20,20') contacting with fingers as the center, strength required for narrowing and closing the front parts (A ₅ A') of the sticks becomes small, thereby it is possible to more easily catch and support food, on the other hand, after the use of the tool, the tool is more likely to easily recover its original shape owing to strong resilience of the rear parts (B ₅ B') of the sticks, eventually imparting an advantage that deformation of the tool is hardly occurred in repeated long term use.

[40] Further, when the inner wall (31) of the stick connection parts (30) is formed as a curved surface in the shape of a circular arc, the angle of movement of each sticks (S,S') becomes relatively large, thus rather bulkier food can be easily caught and supported and also resilience of the rear parts (B ₅ B') of the sticks can be more enhanced.

[41] From the grip parts (20,20') contacting with fingers as a dividing point, the thicknesses of the front parts (A ₅ A') of the sticks and the rear parts (B ₅ B') of the sticks are different, naturally the middle part therebetween, i.e. the inner surface or outer surface of the grip parts (20,20') has a height difference such as step or slant. However, if a height difference in the outer surface of the grip parts (20,20') is made, stress becomes concentrated on the part having the height difference, thereby having a risk of being damaged as well as providing bad grasp. Therefore, as being disclosed in the drawings, it is preferred to extend the outer surface of the grip parts (20,20') with gentle curvature along the same level with adjacent parts, and to form the inner surface as a gently slanted parts (21,21') which connect the inner surface of the front parts (A ₅ A') of the sticks and rear parts (B ₅ B') of the sticks. As such, when the inner surface

of the grip parts (20,20') is formed as gently slanted parts (21,21'), the inner wall of the latter part of the tool which includes both rear parts (B ₅ B') of the sticks and stick connection part (30) becomes to have end parts being bent inward, whereby forming the shape of 'U', as being clearly disclosed in the plan view of Fig. 3. By virtue of such shape, the resilient power of the rear parts (B ₅ B') of the sticks is well-maintained, while the power required to narrow the front parts (A ₅ A') of the sticks becomes relatively small, thereby being possible to more easily catch and support food.

[42] On the other hand, by expanding the grip parts (20,20') contacting with fingers more than the adjacent parts as well as the stick connection part (30) more than the rear parts (B ₅ B') of the sticks, contact of the front ends of the tool, i.e. the food contacting parts (10,10') with the table surface can be surely avoided. The expansion of the grip parts (20,20') contacting with fingers and stick connection part (30) is not specifically restricted but variously made, such as expansion in either of upward or downward direction relative to the adjacent parts, or in both leftward or rightward direction which means expansion in width direction relative to the adjacent parts.

[43] Further, in order to improve elasticity and strength of the rear parts (B ₅ B') of the sticks, as being disclosed in Fig. 2, a certain size of slots (23,23') may be further formed on the rear parts (B ₅ B') of the sticks. The slots (23,23') increases the second moment of inertia of a member, resulting in improvement in elasticity and strength of the rear parts (B ₅ B') of the sticks, while providing additional effects such as saving of the material cost as well as weight reduction on the whole.

[44] As disclosed in Figs. 5 and 6, the grip parts (20,20') contact with fingers can be expanded downward, while forming the stick connection part (30) slanted downward. With such structure, it is also possible to avoid contacting of the food contacting parts (10,10') on the front end with the surface of the table in stable way. In this case, if the stick connection part (30) is formed to have more weight for example by increase the width or thickness of the stick connection part (30) relative to that of the rear parts (B ₅ B') of the sticks and the like, the center of gravity becomes present in the rear parts, thereby being possible to more effectively prevent the food contacting parts (10,10') from contacting with the bottom surface.

[45] Fig. 7 is a view illustrating the tool represented in Fig. 5 being used. Now, the operation of the tool according to the present invention is described in connection with Fig. 7.

[46] The grip parts (20,20') contacting with fingers are grasped by the fingers as shown in Fig. 7, and then by narrowing the pair of sticks (S,S'), food can be engaged between the inside of the food contacting parts (10,10'), thereby being possible to catch and support food. Further, by pressing the food contacting parts (10,10') so as to come into contact, the food contacting parts (10,10') on each stick (S ₅ S') being in contact form the

shape of a spoon, thereby being able to practice the function of a spoon by taking and bringing food thereon. On the other hand, it is also possible to use the tool as chopsticks. When using it as chopsticks, it can be grasped just as same as conventional chopsticks, but by supporting the index finger, or the middle finger to the concavely recessed walls (22,22') of the grip parts (20,20') contacting with fingers it can be more conveniently grasp the tool of the present invention.

[47] In order to prevent crossing of the sticks and to ensure correct and precise meeting of the food contacting parts (10,10'), as narrowing the pair of sticks (S, S'), other structural elements may be added to the sticks (S ₅ S').

[48] Figs. 8 and 9 are perspective views of another embodiment of the tool for catching and supporting food according to the present invention, which illustrate the above- mentioned structural elements.

[49] In this embodiment, a protrusion (P) is formed on the inside of one stick (S), which is adjacent to the food contacting parts (10,10'), and a hole (H) for insertion where the protrusion (P) is inserted, is formed on the corresponding inside of the other stick (S'). As narrowing the pair of sticks (S, S'), the protrusion (P) is inserted into the hole (H), accordingly the food contacting parts (10,10') are surely coupled to each other while preventing the pair of sticks or the food contacting parts (10,10') from being crossed each other.

[50] The above-mentioned effects can be more enhanced by adding a guide (G) for insertion on the inside of one stick (S') for the other stick (S) to be inserted and coupled.

[51] Fig. 9 is illustrating the tool represented in Fig. 8 being used.

[52] As being illustrated, when the pair of sticks (S ₅ S') is narrowed and closed, owing to the interlock between the serrated parts (11,11') of the food contacting parts (10,10'), coupling by the insertion of the protrusion (P) of the inner surface of the stick into the hole (H) and coupling of the guide (G) to the stick (S'), the food contacting parts (10,10') can be more correctly and precisely contacted. As such, according to the present embodiment, above-mentioned coupling can be achieved almost at the same time simply by pressing the grip parts (20,20') contacting with fingers of the pair of sticks, thereby being possible to use the tool as a spoon conveniently.

[53] As described above, the tool for catching and supporting food according to the present invention can embody the function of a spoon which can take and bring some food thereon, as well as the general function of chopsticks of catching and supporting food at the same time by having food contacting parts having the shape of a spoon, thereby being conveniently used in having meals or cooking.

[54] Further, the tool for catching and supporting food according to the present invention has effects such that it helps to catch and support food with relatively less effort by

virtue of the specific structure and alignment of the sticks thereof and has great durability in repeated use for a long period, thus being hardly deformed in its shape. Moreover, the tool for catching and supporting food according to the present invention has further effects such that it is conveniently grasped by hand and helps to move subjected food in rather stable way owing to more correct and precise meeting of each food contacting part without being crossed each other, by comprising additional structural elements that help to achieve more correct and precise contact of each food contacting part.

Industrial Applicability

[55] The tool for catching and supporting food according to the present invention is a novel type which is possible to function as a spoon and chopsticks at the same time, thus has a potential to open a new market in this field thereby develop the cor¬ responding industrial field.