GB2311243A - Kitchen utensil - Google Patents

Abstract

A kitchen utensil 10 has a handle 12 attached to its distal end. The handle comprises a first portion 18, arranged to be held in the palm of a users hand, and a second portion 17 arranged to be gripped by a thumb and forefinger. The first portion has greater dimensions than the second portion and may have a convex shape.

Description

KITCHEN UTENSIL The present invention relates to a kitchen utensil incorporating a handle connected to an implement and to a kitchen utensil incorporating a handle connected to an implement when the handle is held by a hand.

According to one aspect of the present invention a kitchen utensil incorporates a handle connected to an implement, the handle including a first portion arranged to be engaged by a palm of a hand and a second portion arranged to be engaged by the first (thumb) and second finger of a hand in which the first portion is of greater dimension than the second portion in at least one direction and at least one location of the first portion.

The first portion may include a first surface arranged to be contacted by a palm of a hand with the first surface extending more in a direction towards the palm at its centre than at the sides or, alternatively or additionally, than at one or both ends. The first surface may be curved and may be convex. The first surface may extend more in a direction towards the palm along substantially the complete extent of the first portion.

The utensil may include a first surface arranged to be contacted by a palm of a hand that tapers towards the region arranged to be engaged by the first and second finger of a hand and, alternatively or additionally, the first surface may taper at the opposite region thereto.

The first portion includes a first surface arranged to be contacted by a palm of a hand that is arranged to terminate in the region arranged to be contacted by the palm of a hand.

The first portion may include a second surface arranged to face away from the palm of a hand and the second surface may be generally flat. Alternatively the second surface may extend more in a direction towards the palm of a hand at a central region than at the sides. The second surface may be curved and may be concave. The second surface may taper towards the region arranged to be engaged by the first and second fingers and, alternatively or additionally, may also taper at the opposite region.

At that opposite region the second surface may be arranged to end within the hand of a user.

The first portion may be arranged to be surrounded by the fingers of a user or alternatively to be gripped by fingers of a user. Those fingers may comprise the third, fourth and fifth fingers.

The handle may be arranged to be used with the palm facing downwardly. The implement may include an operative portion arranged to be at a lower extent than the handle.

The first portion may be arranged to be at an angle to the horizontal and that angle may be between 0 and 600.

The second portion may be arranged to be at an angle to the general extent of the first portion.

The second portion may be arranged to be generally circular in cross-section or may be arranged to be rectangular. Alternatively or additionally the second portion may include an at least partly recessed portion extending along the second portion arranged to be engaged by the first finger of a person holding the handle.

The present invention also includes a kitchen utensil as herein referred to when held by a hand.

The present invention may be carried into practice in various ways but several embodiments will now be described, by way of example, and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a spatula 10 including a scraping and lifting portion 11 and a handle 12; Figures 2 and 3 are plan and side views of the handle 12 shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 is a schematic perspective view of a masher 13 including a mashing plate 14 and a handle 15, and Figures 5 and 6 are side and plan views of the handle 15 shown in Figure 4.

As shown in Figure 1, the spatula 10 incorporates the lifting portion 11 that is connected to the handle by a plate 16. The handle 12 is mounted on the plate 16 and includes a portion 17 of generally rounded section and a dish shaped end 18.

The handle 12 could be made of plastics and the lifting portion 11 and the plate 16 could be of pressed metal. Alternatively the complete utensil could be made of plastics, for instance by moulding. The embodiment shown in Figure 4 could be made in the same manner as that shown in Figure 1.

If the lifting portion 11 in Figure 1 is considered to be flat and resting on a horizontal surface then the plate 16 is inclined to that surface at an angle of between 10 and 60 and preferably extends at an angle in the region of 300 to 45" or substantially 40 and the portion 17 is aligned with the plate 16. The dish shaped end 18 extends in the same general direction as the plate 16, when viewed in plan (as shown in Figure 2). However, the upper surface of the end 16 extends at a slightly reduced angle to the horizontal, as shown in Figure 3, and may, for instance, extend at a general angle of between 0 and 40 to the horizontal or between 10 and 300 to the horizontal and is preferably in the region of 200 to the horizontal. (It will be appreciated that, in Figure 3, the handle 12 has been moved such that the portion 17 is more or less horizontal).

In use, the upwardly facing surface of the dish shaped end 18 is located in the palm of a hand 19 shown in chain lines in Figures 1 and 2 and 3. The palm extends over the top of the end 18 and the 3rd, 4th and 5th fingers 21, 22 and 23 respectively extend over one side of the end 18, beneath the end 18 and to the other side of the end 18 where the 3rd, 4th and 5th fingers abut the base of the palm or may abut the underside of the lifting portion adjacent to its other side. The 2nd finger 20 extends around the portion 17 adjacent to the end 18 to abut the thumb 24 in the region of its first joint 25.

The thumb extends along the portion 17 to engage the first portion along its side, slightly towards the underside thereof.

Thus the handle is gripped firmly by the user with the palm and the 3rd, 4th and 5th fingers restraining relatively lateral movement in the direction of extent of the portion 17 and the thumb and first finger restraining pivotal movement of the lifting portion 11 relative to the handle. However, it will be appreciated that both of these grips will have an effect in restraining both degrees of movement. The underside of the dish shaped end may be of any conventional shape and may be concave, as shown in chain lines in Figure 3, or may be generally flat or may even be slightly convex (not shown). It will be appreciated that the corresponding portion in the handle 15 shown in Figures 4 to 6 may have any of these features.

To use the implement, the lifting portion can be slid forwardly under food in a pan by pushing the implement forwardly with the engagement of the palm with the portion 18 providing most of that force. Sideways movement is permitted by the overall grip on the handle as is retraction of the lifting portion. Turning of the lifting portion is achieved by rotation of the wrist.

Although the portion 17 is shown as being of round cross-section in Figure 1 and square cross-section in Figure 4 it will be appreciated that any desired crosssection could be used and that may be oval, for instance, or may include an angled or recessed portion or portions extending lengthwise to assist in alignment of the thumb (be a person right or left handed) whereby the grip and control afforded by the thumb is enhanced.

In Figures 4 to 6 the handle 15 may be of the same form or variation of forms as described in relation to Figures 1 to 3. However, with such a handle for mashing potato, for instance, it is desired that more downwards force be exerted on the mashing plate 14. To that end the portion 15 extends at a greater angle to the first portion 26 and, when that portion 26 is vertical, the portion 15 may extend at between 40 and 90" to the vertical or between 600 and 700 or in the region of 650.

The handle is engaged by a hand 19 in a similar way with the exception that the arm 27 (shown in Figures 1 and 2) extending from the wrist will be more or less in line with the portion 26 when mashing. It can be seen that it is the palm of the hand, and in particular the base of the palm near the wrist that applies most of the downwards force.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims (29)

1. A kitchen utensil incorporating a handle connected to an implement, the handle including a first portion arranged to be engaged by a palm of a hand and a second portion arranged to be engaged by the first (thumb) and second finger of a hand in which the first portion is of greater dimension than the second portion in at least one direction and at at least one location of the first portion.

2. A utensil as claimed in Claim 1 in which a first surface of the first portion is arranged to be contacted by a palm of a hand with the first surface extending more in a direction towards the palm at its centre than at the sides.

3. A utensil as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 in which a first surface of the first portion that is arranged to be contacted by a palm of a hand extends more in a direction towards the palm at its centre than at at least one end.

4. A utensil as claimed in Claim 2 or 3 in which the first surface is curved in at least one direction.

5. A utensil as claimed in any of Claims 2 to 4 in which the first surface is convex.

6. A utensil as claimed in any of Claims 2 to 5 in which the first surface extends in a direction more towards the palm of the hand along substantially the complete extent of the first portion.

7. A utensil as claimed in any of the preceding claims including a first surface arranged to be contacted by a palm of the hand that tapers towards the region arranged to be engaged by the first and second finger of a hand.

8. A utensil as claimed in any preceding claim in which a first surface of the first portion that is arranged to be contacted by a palm of the hand tapers at a region away from the second portion.

9. A utensil as claimed in any preceding claim in which the first portion includes a first surface arranged to be contacted by a palm of a hand that is arranged to terminate in the region arranged to be contacted by the palm.

10. A utensil as claimed in any preceding claim in which the first portion includes a second surface arranged to face away from the palm of a hand and in which the second surface is generally flat.

11. A utensil as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 9 in which the first portion includes a second surface arranged to face away from the palm of a hand that extends more in a direction towards the palm of a hand at a central region than it does at the sides.

12. A utensil as claimed in Claim 11 in which the second surface is curved.

13. A utensil as claimed in Claim 11 or 12 in which the second surface is concave.

14. A utensil as claimed in any preceding claim in which the first portion includes a second surface arranged to face away from the palm of a hand that is arranged to taper towards the region arranged to be engaged by the first and second fingers.

15. A utensil as claimed in any preceding claim including a second surface arranged to face away from the palm of the hand that is arranged to taper in a direction away from the second portion.

16. A utensil as claimed in any preceding claim in which the first portion is arranged to be surrounded by the fingers of a user.

17. A utensil as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 15 in which the first portion is arranged to be gripped by the fingers of a user.

18. A utensil as claimed in Claim 16 or 17 in which the fingers of a user comprise the 3rd, 4th and 5th fingers.

19. A utensil as claimed in any preceding claim in which the handle is arranged to be used with the palm of a hand facing downwardly.

20. A utensil as claimed in any preceding claim in which the implement includes an operative portion arranged, in use, to be at a lower extent thaN the handle.

21. A utensil as claimed in any preceding claim in which the first portion, in use, is arranged to be at an angle to the horizontal.

22. A utensil as claimed in Claim 21 in which that angle is between 0 and 600.

23. A utensil as claimed in any preceding claim in which the second portion is arranged to be at an angle to the general extent of the first portion.

24. A utensil as claimed in any preceding claim in which the second portion is arranged to be generally circular in cross-section.

25. A utensil as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 23 in which the second portion is arranged to be generally rectangular.

26. A utensil as claimed in any preceding claim in which the second portion includes an at least partly recessed portion extending along the second portion and arranged to be engaged by the first finger of a person holding the handle.

27. A kitchen utensil substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in any of Figures 1 to 3 or Figures 4 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.

28. A kitchen utensil as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 27 when held by a hand.

29. A kitchen utensil when held by a hand substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in any of Figures 1 to 3 or Figures 4 to 6.