Odorant-releasing utensil
First Claim
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1. A method of delivering an odorant in connection with use of an eating utensil for delivering food or drink to a consumer, comprising:
- releasing at least one odorant from at least one controllable odorant emitter carried by an eating utensil in response to a control signal generated by control circuitry carried by the eating utensil and operatively connected to the at least one controllable odorant emitter, the eating utensil comprising;
an ingestible substance-carrying portion adapted to carry a quantity of an ingestible substance to a mouth of a consumer; and
a support portion connected to the ingestible substance-carrying portion and configured to be engaged by a person'"'"'s hand to permit the ingestible substance-carrying portion to be thereby moved to the mouth of the consumer.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
In an aspect, an eating utensil includes a controllable odorant emitter for delivering an odorant to a person who is eating or drinking from the eating utensil. The odorant may be delivered orthonasally or retronasally. The odorant may be used to stimulate or suppress appetite. In an aspect, a controllable odorant emitter is provided in an attachment that may be removably secured to an eating utensil. Related methods and systems for delivering odorant in connection with use of an eating utensil are described.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method of delivering an odorant in connection with use of an eating utensil for delivering food or drink to a consumer, comprising:
releasing at least one odorant from at least one controllable odorant emitter carried by an eating utensil in response to a control signal generated by control circuitry carried by the eating utensil and operatively connected to the at least one controllable odorant emitter, the eating utensil comprising; an ingestible substance-carrying portion adapted to carry a quantity of an ingestible substance to a mouth of a consumer; and a support portion connected to the ingestible substance-carrying portion and configured to be engaged by a person'"'"'s hand to permit the ingestible substance-carrying portion to be thereby moved to the mouth of the consumer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of delivering an odorant in connection with use of an eating utensil for delivering food or drink to a consumer, comprising:
releasing at least one odorant from at least one controllable odorant emitter carried by an eating utensil in response to a control signal, the eating utensil comprising; an ingestible substance-carrying portion adapted to carry a quantity of an ingestible substance to a mouth of a consumer; and a support portion connected to the ingestible substance-carrying portion and configured to be engaged by a person'"'"'s hand to permit the ingestible substance-carrying portion to be thereby moved to the mouth of the consumer; wherein the at least one controllable odorant emitter includes at least one expulsion mechanism adapted to expel the odorant from the controllable odorant emitter, and wherein releasing the at least one odorant from the at least one controllable odorant emitter includes activating the at least one expulsion mechanism.
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17. A method of delivering an odorant in connection with use of an eating utensil for delivering food or drink to a consumer, comprising:
releasing at least one odorant from at least one controllable odorant emitter carried by an eating utensil in response to a control signal, the eating utensil comprising; an ingestible substance-carrying portion adapted to carry a quantity of an ingestible substance to a mouth of a consumer; and a support portion connected to the ingestible substance-carrying portion and configured to be engaged by a person'"'"'s hand to permit the ingestible substance-carrying portion to be thereby moved to the mouth of the consumer; comprising releasing a second odorant, wherein the at least one odorant released from the at least one controllable odorant emitter is a first odorant released from a first controllable odorant emitter; and
wherein the method includes at least one of releasing the second odorant from the first controllable odorant emitter;
releasing the second odorant from a second controllable odorant emitter;
releasing a second odorant that is different from the first odorant;
releasing the first odorant and the second odorant from controllable odorant emitters located at two spatially separated locations;
releasing the first odorant and the second odorant at different times; and
mixing the first odorant and the second odorant.
Specification