WO2002078495A1

WO2002078495A1 - A safety feeding utensil

Info

Publication number: WO2002078495A1
Application number: PCT/GB2002/001584
Authority: WO
Inventors: Diane Alexandra Musgrave
Original assignee: Diane Alexandra Musgrave
Priority date: 2001-03-30
Filing date: 2002-04-02
Publication date: 2002-10-10
Also published as: GB2376410A; GB0108114D0

Abstract

A feeding utensil includes a straight handle (1) with a plurality of ribs (4), a suitably configured safety-guard (3) at each end of said handle, and extending beyond each safety-guard, a spoon bowl (2) or other such feeding implement wherein each end comprising feeding implement and safety-guard, are substantially the alike. The safety feeding utensil is moulded as a whole, from an homogeneous quantity of suitably deformable non-toxic material.

Description

A SAFETY FEEDING UTENSIL

Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a double-ended feeding utensil, with safety-guards, and more particularly to double-ended spoons or other feeding utensils, with safety-guards, suitable in the safe weaning and self-feeding of infants. A further embodiment of the invention is in the provision of a suitably configured double- ended feeding utensil, with safety -guards, for elderly and infirm people or those in some way disabled, who have difficulty in picking up and/or holding and using conventional cutlery.

Prior Art

Weaning and feeding spoons are well known in the art, and are essential items for infants when first learning to self-feed. They have followed closely the conventional design of spoons found in many homes worldwide. Variation in the angle of spoon bowl to handle, curvature of handle, form and dimension of the various elements, and material used in manufacture, have all been implemented. A majority of these implementations do not provide for effective safety when used by persons with undeveloped or impaired coordination skills.

Infants develop different skills at differing ages, whilst one child will have the ability to pick up a suitably shaped object at age four months, another child may not have the ability to pick up the same object until the age of six months, this applies particularly to feeding utensils. Similarly, those persons with impaired coordination and/or motor skills will have differing degrees of ability.

Infants, when given any object will almost invariably attempt to insert that object into their mouths, often to attempt the alleviation of pain caused by teething, on occasion pushing the object further into their mouths than is desirable, at best causing discomfort, at worst causing injury and/or choking, thereby causing distress to both infant and parent or carer. The infant feeding utensil G. Curtis Watson US 6134790 takes a positive step toward safety with the provision of a mouth-guard, this in itself is not an original concept US 5890223, but does go some way to providing for a safer self-feeding experience for the infant furthermore, double ended spoons are not a new concept US 4425711, and US 6115923. The present invention, whilst allowing the infant to feed itself, prevents the infant from inserting the utensil into its mouth further than is both safe and appropriate, irrespective of which way the spoon is presented to the infant or picked up by the infant. Although I have little prior knowledge relating to the assisted feeding or self-feeding of physically or mentally disabled persons, or to the assisted feeding or self -feeding of elderly and infirm persons, I am of the opinion that this invention, when suitably configured, will benefit the said groups.

Spoons or similar feeding utensils that can be conveniently picked up and used in only one orientation, are common in the art. Furthermore, spoons or similar feeding utensils that can be conveniently picked up and used in either orientation, are prior in the art. Furthermore, spoons or similar feeding utensils that provide a safety-guard effective in one orientation are prior in the art.

The present invention provides for a simple spoon or other such feeding utensil made from a single portion of suitable material that can be picked up and used in either orientation, can be picked up with either hand and used without further manipulation, and has a safety-guard effective in either orientation.

Summary of the Invention According to the present invention there is provided a simple double-ended safety feeding utensil, moulded from a single homogeneous portion of non-toxic dishwasher-proof plastic or other suitable material, comprising a handle, straight or otherwise, said handle being ribbed or otherwise, said ribs when present, to be suitably spaced along the partial or complete length of said handle, as a means to provide a secure and comfortable grip for the user. At each end of said handle, is a flange, suitably configured to approximate the contours of the face in the mouth region. Adjacent and extending beyond the flange, there is a spoon shaped implement or other such feeding implement. The flange, when suitably configured for the intended user group, will prevent the spoon bowl or other such feeding implement from entering the mouth further than is necessary for safe and effective assisted or self -feeding. The present invention has no separably moveable parts, nor any detachable parts, both of which are potentially hazardous, furthermore, has an easy to grip handle, furthermore, variations to form and/or dimension permit corresponding use by infants, and adults with impaired coordination or motor skills, furthermore, having neither excessive recesses nor cavities, is easy to clean and sanitize.

Preferably, the present invention is made from a pliable or semi-rigid plastic that is robust and non-toxic. The present invention may be made from alternative suitable materials such as metal or wood., furthermore, it may be manufactured in a range of colours attractive to both infants and parents/carers. Because of the one-piece design of the invention, it is inexpensive to manufacture.

Brief Description of the Drawings

A preferred embodiment of the invention, suitable for the weaning and self -feeding of infants will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan viewed from above the utensil. FIGURE 2 shows a shallow perspective of the utensil. FIGURE 3 is a side elevation of the utensil. FIGURE 4 is a plan viewed from the underside of the utensil. FIGURE 5 is an end elevation of the utensil. Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment

It shall be recognised that all the separate parts of the invention described hereinafter, are moulded from a single homogeneous quantity of plastic. As shown in FIG.l, the present invention includes a straight handle 1 of suitable length and circumference, said handle 1 being of substantially circular cross- section. A plurality of ribs 4 are raised from the body of the handle and formed circumferentially thereon, being suitably arranged along the length of said handle. At each end of handle 1 is a flange 3 typically at a right angle to both horizontal and vertical axis of said handle, the handle 1 encountering the centre point of the convex surface of flange 3. The aforementioned flange 3 being suitably formed in the vertical plane, see FIG.3 and the horizontal plane, see FIG.4, to -approximate the contours of a child's face in the mouth region. Each aforementioned flange 3 has identical form and dimension, the one being a mirror image of the other in this embodiment of the invention. The contour, of each flange 3, is substantially arcuate in the horizontal plane, the form and dimension of said flanges is typical of those in the art of baby soothers and the like, and is therefore accorded no further description.

At each extremity of the article described hereinabove, extending beyond and adjacent flange 3 and aligned along the horizontal plane of handle 1 and in this embodiment of the invention, is a concave ellipse, suitably formed as a spoon bowl 2. Proximate the junction of handle 1 and flange 3 the body of handle 1 increases uniformly in circumference to form a fillet 6 which reinforces said junction and provides a smooth transition from the end of handle 1 to the convex surface of flange 3. Similarly, proximate the junction of spoon bowl 2 and flange 3, the body of spoon bowl 2 increases uniformly in circumference to form a fillet 5 which reinforces said junction and provides a smooth transition from spoon bowl 2 to the concave surface of flange 3. Referring to FIG.3. At its extremity, the spoon bowl has a substantially smooth horizontal upper peripheral rim 7, said rim positioned on the longitudinal centre line of handle 1. Referring to FIG.4. At the widest point 9 of the spoon bowl, the upper peripheral rim curves upward from the horizontal to a point 8 FIG.3 midway between the longitudinal centre line of handle 1 and the uppermost contour of flange 3. Referring to FIG.4 at the widest point 9 of the spoon bowl, the width of the spoon bowl tapers uniformly toward the concave surface of flange 3 to achieve a substantially elliptical cross section at the junction of flange 3 and the spoon bowl.

In further embodiments of the invention, the flanges, handle and spoon bowl, by modification to form and dimension, can be suitably configured to approximate the contours of the face, hands and mouth, of infants of different ages, an older child, or an adult. Furthermore, the spoon bowl may be replaced with some other feeding implement such as a knife or fork. In a further embodiment of the invention, aforementioned opposing flanges may be dissimilar in one or more respects.

It can be seen that what has been described is a one-piece moulded plastic safety weaning and feeding spoon, with a straight handle of suitable form and dimension. At each end of the handle there being an identical arrangement, comprising an elliptical concavity for scooping and retaining food, and a flange between said spoon bowl and said handle, to prevent excessive intrusion of the utensil into the mouth irrespective of which way round the spoon is used. The spoon can be picked up with either hand and in either orientation.

Claims

1. I claim, a feeding utensil, including a feeding implement at each end of a straight handle, furthermore, safety-guards are provided at the inward bound portion of each of said feeding implements.

2. A feeding utensil as claimed in claim 1, where said feeding implements are identical in form and dimension.

3. A feeding utensil as claimed in claim 1 where said safety-guards are identical in form and dimension.

4. A feeding utensil as claimed in claim 1 where said safety-guards are so formed as to follow the contours of an infants face in the mouth region.

5. A feeding utensil as claimed in claim 1 where said feeding implements are in the form of a spoon bowl.

6. A feeding utensil as claimed in claim 1 where said feeding implements are of alternative type such as a knife or fork.

7. A feeding utensil as claimed in all preceding claims, where said handle has a plurality of ribs raised from the body of said handle and formed circumferentially thereon.

8. A feeding utensil according to any preceding claim, suitable for use as an infant self -feeding and weaning utensil.

9. A feeding utensil as claimed in any preceding claim, which is formed from a single homogeneous quantity of suitably deformable non-toxic plastic.

10. A feeding utensil as claimed in claim 1 which is made from any suitable material including wood or metal or any combination thereof.

11. A feeding utensil substantially as herein described above and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.