Stackable pieces of flatware

• US 8,296,957 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2007
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fostag Formenbau AG
• Original Assignee: Fostag Holding AG
• Inventors: Muehlemann, Rolf
• Primary Examiner(s): Choi, Stephen
• Application Number:
  US12/226,885
• Publication Number:
  US 20100000096A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,065 Days
• Field of Search: 301/42, 30147-150, 30322-328, 303/40, 206/499, D76/42, D76/43, D76/45, D76/53
• US Class Current: 30/142
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 21/02 Forks; Forks with ejectors; Combined forks and spoons; Salad servers

Abstract

A stackable cutlery element having a handle and a functional element shaped onto the handle. To achieve maximum stability, the handle of the cutlery element is designed as a wall with longitudinal ribs arranged on the edge of both sides, so that an essentially H-shaped cross-section is formed. For additional stabilization, an end rib is arranged on the longitudinal end of the handle opposing the functional element on both sides of the wall. The end rib and the two longitudinal ribs on both sides are designed so that when the cutlery elements of this invention are stacked, the end rib and the longitudinal ribs of the first side of a cutlery element engage positively in the end rib and longitudinal ribs of the second side of the further cutlery element to connecting to them in the stacking direction.

Claims

1. A stackable cutlery element (1) with a handle (2) with a wall (4) and a functional element (3) shaped onto the handle (2), wherein one end rib (5) and two longitudinal ribs (6, 6′

) are arranged on a first side and a second side (4a, 5b) of the handle (2) to project from the wall (4), and the end rib (5) and the longitudinal ribs (6, 6′

) are designed so that when a plurality of cutlery elements (1, 1′

) are stacked, the end rib (5) and the longitudinal ribs (6, 6′

) of the first side (4a) of a cutlery element (1) engage positively in the end rib (5) and the longitudinal ribs (6, 6′

) of the second side (4b′

) of a further cutlery element (1′

), the cutlery element (1) comprising;

on the first side (4a) the end rib (5) and the longitudinal ribs (6, 6′

) having a first bevel (7a) on an outer edge (8) facing away from the wall (4), and on the second side (4b) the end rib (5) and the longitudinal ribs (6, 6′

) having a second bevel (7b) on an inner edge (9) facing the wall (4), the second bevel having an angle of inclination to the wall (4) that is smaller than or greater than an angle of inclination of the first bevel (7a) with respect to the wall (4), wherein a first transverse rib (5a) is arranged on the end of the handle (2) opposing the end rib (5) on the first side (4a) of the wall (4), and a second transverse rib (5b) is arranged on the second side (4b) of the wall (4), wherein the second transverse rib (5b) has two notches (10, 10′

) into which the longitudinal ribs (6, 6′

) on the first side (4a) of the wall (4) of a further cutlery element (1′

) engage when a plurality of cutlery elements (1, 1′

) are stacked.

2. The cutlery element according to claim 1, wherein the first transverse rib (5a) is arranged so that when a plurality of the cutlery elements (1, 1′

) are stacked, this first transverse rib lies flush with the second transverse rib (5b) of a further cutlery element (1) on the side opposing the functional element (3).

3. The cutlery element according to claim 1, wherein the end transverse rib (5) has on the second side (4b) of the wall a projection on which the end transverse rib (5) on the first side (4a) of the wall (4) of a further cutlery element (1′

) lies when a plurality of cutlery elements (1, 1′

) are stacked.

4. The cutlery element according to claim 1, wherein the cutlery element (1) is a knife, a fork or a spoon.