Meal minder device

• US 4,975,682 A
• Filed: 07/05/1988
• Issued: 12/04/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Glenn E. Kerr, Larry L. Rott
• Original Assignee: Glenn E. Kerr, Larry L. Rott
• Inventors: Kerr, Glenn E., Rott, Larry L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swann, III, Glen R.
• Application Number:
  US07/215,793
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573, 340/540, 340/309.15, 340/309.4, 340/568
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 21/02 Forks; Forks with ejectors; Combined forks and spoons; Salad servers
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 21/08 Serving devices for one-handed persons
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2200/183 indicator
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2200/186 meter; timer
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0006 Diet or mouth appliances
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/182 Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold

Abstract

The invention comprises a signalling device for reminding a person to follow certain eating habits. The device acts to sound an alarm at certain timed intervals in conjunction with the placement of a utensil upon the device to indicate to the person when he is eating too fast or without suitable interruption. The device has a photo cell at a convenient location on top of the device to receive the utensil so that the utensil will block out the light and cause the photo cell to react, in turn causing the circuitry of the device to react. If the operator removes the utensil from the photo cell for each bite and replaces it at that location, the device acts to regulate the amount of time the operator has the utensil away from the photocell presumably to take a bite and regulate the amount of time the utensil must be left on the photo cell between each bite. The operator must replace the utensil over the photo cell within a specified period of time, timed by the device, after removing it presumably to take a bite, or the alarm will sound when that specified time has elapsed, which period of time is considered adequate for taking a bite of food. The operator, once he has replaced the utensil over the photo cell, must leave it at this location for a specified period of time, as timed and programmed by the device, before he can remove it again to presumably take another bite, or the device will also cause the alarm to sound if he removes it before that time has elapsed, indicating to the operator he has removed the utensil from the photo cell too soon for another bite, in the time estimation as programmed or timed by the device.

Claims

1. A signalling device for reminding persons to follow certain eating habits when eating a meal comprising a main switch, a photo cell, an alarm, timers to divide the eating of a meal in accordance with time frame as predetermined by said timers and to sound said alarm when the operator does not follow the time frame, said photo cell being reactive to the placement or removal of a utensil thereover, said timers including one timer to time the time required by a person between each bite of a meal and to sound said alarm when the operator does not delay the predetermined time required by the program of the device between each bite of a meal, said timers further including a timer to time the required amount of time for taking each bite of a meal and to sound said alarm when the operator takes more than the predetermined amount of time allowed by the switch for taking a bite of a meal, said first mentioned timer being activated by said photo cell upon placement of the utensil and responding to the removal of the utensil from the photo cell to sound the alarm if the utensil is removed too soon after its placement, said second mentioned timer being activated by said photo cell upon removal of the utensil from the photo cell to start timing the time allowed by said timer for taking a bite and to sound said alarm if the operator takes too long to replace the utensil over the photo cell.

2. A signalling device according to Claim 1 wherein said timers include a third timer activated by said main switch and actuating signalling means after a relatively long period of time in relation to the first and second mentioned timers to signal that the meal is nearly over, and a fourth timer activated by said main switch to activate an alarm after a period of time slightly longer than the activation of the third timer to indicate to the operator the meal is considered over.

3. A signalling device comprising triggering means, alarm means, a plurality of timing means, switching means, said device having a structure adapted to enable a utensil to be used in conjunction with said device by said structure'"'"'s enabling and facilitating a utensil to be placed into operative engagement with said triggering means to activate said triggering means, said timing means acting to sound said alarm at certain timed intervals in conjunction with the placement of said utensil into operative engagement with said triggering means to indicate to a person, if that person places said utensil into operative engagement with said triggering means after each bite, when he is eating too fast by taking too many bites in an interval of time with said utensil in the estimation of the device, said timing means including a first timing means that sounds an alarm if the operator does not replace the utensil into operative engagement with the triggering means within a specified period of time, said timing means including a second timing means that will sound an alarm if the operator removes the utensil from operative engagement with the triggering means in less than a specified period of time programmed by the device after having replaced the utensil into operative engagement with the triggering means to thereby regulate the number of bites taken with said utensil to an acceptable rate.

4. A signalling device for reminding persons to follow certain eating habits when eating a meal comprising a series of timers to time the entire divide of eating a meal in accordance with timed routine predetermined by the timer and an alarm to sound when the operator does not follow the timed routine to thereby cause the operator to follow the timed routine preprogramed into the device, said timers including a first timer to time the entire time programmed as adequate for a complete meal from beginning to end and to sound said alarm when the end of the meal has been reached as programmed by the device, said timers including a second timer to time the time required by a person between each bite of a meal and to sound said alarm when the operator does not delay the predetermined time required by the program of the device between each bite of a meal, said timers including a third timer to time the required amount of time for taking each bite of a meal and to sound said alarm when the operator takes more than the predetermined time alloted by the program of the device for taking a bite of a meal, a main switch, a photo cell reactive to the placement or removal of a utensil therefrom, said first timer being activated by said main switch, said second timer being activated by said photo cell upon placement of the utensil over the photo cell, presumably after taking a bite of a meal, and to sound said alarm if the utensil is removed again too soon after its placement, presumably to take another bite of the meal, said third timer being activated upon removal of the utensil from the photo cell to start timing the time allowed by said timer for taking a bite and to sound said alarm when the operator takes too long to replace the utensil.