SET OF PLASTIC EATING AND/OR DRINKING AIDS

• US 20090200315A1
• Filed: 05/23/2007
• Published: 08/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Dishposables International B.V.
• Original Assignee: Dishposables International B.V.
• Inventors: Blondeel, Etienne Herman Walter
• Application Number:
  US12/302,041
• Publication Number:
  US 20090200315A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 220/574.100
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/06 Plates with integral holders for spoons, glasses, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/0046 Details relating to the filling pattern or flow paths or flow characteristics of moulding material in the mould cavity
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/0081 of objects with parts connected by a thin section, e.g. hinge, tear line
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/286 Cutlery
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7404 Dishes

Abstract

A plastic set (1) of eating and/or drinking aids, comprising eating and/or drinking aids (3, 4, 5) and connecting pieces (6), wherein the eating and/or drinking aids (3, 4, 5) are breakably inter coupled by means of the connecting pieces (6), preferably wherein the eating and/or drinking aids (3, 4, 5) are included in a relatively flat condition with respect to one another and intersect substantially one imaginary intersecting plane.

Claims

1. A plastic set of eating and/or drinking aids, comprising eating and/or drinking aids and connecting pieces, wherein the eating and/or drinking aids are breakably intercoupled by means of the connecting pieces.

2. A set of eating and/or drinking aids according to claim 1, wherein the eating and/or drinking aids are included in a relatively flat condition with respect to one another and intersect substantially one imaginary intersecting plane.

3. A set of eating and/or drinking aids according to claim 2, wherein at least a part of the top side and apart of the bottom side of the set of eating and/or drinking aids 1 have approximately the same shape, for the benefit of the nestability of multiple sets on top of one another, wherein preferably at least a part of the set of eating and/or drinking aids comprises stacking edges from the plate surface which are at an angle of 15-89″

with respect to said intersecting plane.

4. A set of eating and/or drinking aids according to claim 1, wherein the eating and/or drinking aids comprise at least one plate.

5. A set of eating and/or drinking aids according to claim 1, wherein the eating and/or drinking aids comprise at least one cutlery unit, for instance at least one fork, knife and/or spoon.

6. A set of eating and/or drinking aids according to claim 4, wherein the at least one cutlery unit and/or at least one other eating and/or drinking aid is coupled to the plate on the outside.

7. A set of eating and/or drinking aids according to claim 1, wherein the eating and/or drinking aids comprise fastening means for detachably interconnecting the eating and/or drinking aids.

8. A set of eating and/or drinking aids according to claim 7, wherein the fastening means are provided with a earn, a notch and a. breaking edge, wherein the breaking edge breakably connects the cam of an eating and/or drinking aid with another eating and/or drinking aid and wherein said other eating and/or drinking aid is provided with a notch, wherein the cam is arranged to be inserted into said notch tor interconnecting said eating and/or drinking aids.

9. A set of eating and/or drinking aids according to claim 8, wherein a cutlery unit comprises a. notch and a plate comprises a cam.

10. A set of eating and/or drinking aids according to claim 8, wherein the notch is non-continuous.

11. A set of eating and/or drinking aids according to claim 1, wherein the set of eating and/or drinking aids is manufactured by means of an injection molding process.

12. A set of eating and/or drinking aids according to claim 11, wherein an injection point of the set is located near an outside and/or the center of the set of eating and/or drinking aids.

13. A set of eating and/or drinking aids according to claim 1, wherein, for at least two eating and/or drinking aids, at least two injection points are provided, via which separate parts are separately injected.

14. A set of eating and/or drinking aids according to claim 1, wherein flow channels are provided which extend from and or to connecting pieces.

15. A set of eating and/or drinking aids according to claim 1, provided with holders for cutlery units, glasses and/or other eating and/or drinking aids.

16. A set of eating and/or drinking aids according to claim 5, wherein the connecting piece comprises a flow bridge, which is positioned near the end of the handle of a cutlery unit and/or other eating and/or drinking aid, so that the plastic tills the mold cavity part corresponding with the respective cutlery unit and/or other eating and/or drinking aid substantially in one direction.

17. A set of eating and/or drinking aids according to claim 16, wherein at least two cutlery units and/or other eating and/or drinking aids are connected with a strip, wherein preferably the cutlery units and/or other eating and/or drinking aids intersect an intersecting plane and wherein the centerlines of the cutlery units and/or other eating and/or drinking aids approximately intersect one another.

18. A set of eating and/or drinking aids according to claim 17, wherein the injection point is located in the strip and wherein said centerlines approximately intersect said injection point.

19. A set of eating and/or drinking aids according to claim 16, wherein the connecting piece and/or the strip comprises a folding line, for folding, without breaking off, an eating and/or drinking aid about at least approximately 90 degrees.

20. A set of eating and/or drinking aids according to claim 17, wherein the strip comprises a label molded integrally in a mold, which label extends at least over connecting pieces of the strip and the cutlery units.

21. A set of eating and/or drinking aids according to claim 16, wherein at least two eating and/or drinking aids extend in line with one another, at least before they have been folded.

22. A set of eating and/or drinking aids according to claim 16, wherein the eating and/or drinking aids are included in a packaging in folded condition.

23. A set of eating and/or drinking aids according to claim 1, wherein the set of eating and/or drinking aids has a substantially rectangular outer contour, preferably with rounded corners.

24. A set of eating and/or drinking aids according to claim 23, wherein, inside said outer contour, at least two recesses are provided.

25. A set of eating and/or drinking aids according to claim 1, wherein at least one cover element is provided over at least one recess.

26. A set of eating and/or drinking aids according to claim 25, wherein the cover element is connected with a plate by means of a film hinge.

27. A set of eating and/or drinking aids according to claim 25, wherein eating and/or drinking aids are at least partly removably connected with the cover element, and are preferably provided in the cover element.

28. A set of eating and/or drinking aids according to claim 1, wherein an in-mold label is provided, preferably at least in a plate and/or strip of the set.

29. A method for manufacturing a set of eating and/or drinking aids according to claim 1, wherein the set of eating and/or drinking aids is manufactured by means of injection molding and wherein at least two breakably interconnected eating and/or drinking aids are injected via at least two injection points.

30. A method according to claim 29, wherein the set of eating and/or drinking aids is injected by means of hot runners.

31. A method according to claim 29, wherein, near the injection and near a breaking edge of the set of eating and/or drinking aids, a partition is provided in the mold, which partition is withdrawn relatively shortly before the end of the injection molding process so that multiple flow paths touch one another.

32. A method according to claim 29, wherein the mold comprises exchangeable mold parts, wherein an exchangeable mold part comprises a cavity for an eating and/or drinking aid.

33. A method according to claim 29, wherein the eating and/or drinking aids are provided with a label during the injection molding process, in the injection mold.

34. A method according to claim 33, wherein the label is provided with a communication which does not relate to the injection molding manufacturer of the eating and/or drinking aids.