Foldable eating utensil

• US 6,751,873 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2001
• Issued: 06/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Roberts PolyPro, Inc. (Pro Mach Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Roberts PolyPro, Inc. (Pro Mach Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mattson, Larry J., Dupes, David B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoap, Allan N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hamilton, Isaac N
• Application Number:
  US09/927,997
• Publication Number:
  US 20030029044A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• Field of Search: 303/22, 303/24
• US Class Current: 30/324
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2021/002 collapsible
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 21/02 Forks; Forks with ejectors; Combined forks and spoons; Salad servers

Abstract

A one piece foldable eating utensil having a food holding section and a handle with a pair of reduced thickness portions forming flexible hinges for folding into a packaged position for accompanying a food product and a useable position for consuming the food product.

Claims

1. A one piece, foldable eating utensil having a relatively long length direction and a relatively narrow width direction as compared to said length direction;

a food holding section at one end of said length direction;

a handle extending in said length direction from said food holding section, said handle being adjustable along said length direction between a first position wherein said handle is folded in a juxtapose relationship to said food holding section in which said eating utensil is in a compact storage position, a second position in which said handle is fully extended along said length direction, and a third position intermediate said first and second positions wherein said handle is folded back on itself along said length direction to an eating position;

said handle having flexible hinges therein transverse to said length direction and extending generally in said width direction to permit folding said handle along said length direction into said first, second and third position and including a locking means for locking said handle in said first and third position.

2. The utensil according to claim 1 wherein said eating utensil is made of plastic material and said flexible hinges are reduced thickness portions of said handle.

3. The eating utensil according to claim 1 wherein said handle has a proximal end adjacent said food holding section, a distal end and an intermediate portion between and connected to said proximate and distal ends by flexible hinges, said distal end including a protrusion and said food holding section and said proximal end each having a detent engageable with said protrusion.

4. The eating utensil according to claim 3 wherein said detents are gaps.

5. The eating utensil according to claim 3 wherein said detents cooperate with said protrusion to form a snap lock.