Eating utensil for indicating when food may be eaten therewith and a method for using the utensil

• US 4,914,819 A
• Filed: 05/17/1989
• Issued: 04/10/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ash, Stephen R.
• Original Assignee: Ash, Stephen R.
• Inventors: Ash, Stephen R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Watts, Douglas D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HEYRANA, PAUL
• Application Number:
  US07/352,977
• Time in Patent Office: 328 Days
• Field of Search: 30/147, 30/141, 446/15, 364/714, 368/54, 368/93, 368/95, 368/152
• US Class Current: 30/147
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 21/02 Forks; Forks with ejectors; Combined forks and spoons; Salad servers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0006 Diet or mouth appliances
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 47/00 Time-pieces combined with other articles which do not interfere with the running or the time-keeping of the time-piece clockwork cases for special purposes G04B37/12; clocks with magnifying glass built in the face G04B39/00; time-pieces in which parts or cases produce special effects, e.g. aesthetic effects, G04B45/00, particularly with inscriptions or pictures moved by hand G04B45/003, with specially shaped cases or parts G04B45/0069; combination of writing or drawing implements with devices for indicating time B43K29/087; combined with cameras, projectors, or photographic printing apparatus G03B29/00
• CPC Class Codes: G04F 1/04 by movement or acceleration due to gravity

Abstract

A dietary control eating utensil is disclosed for indicating when food can be eaten therewith. The handle of the utensil includes a gravity-powered timing device. The device includes an elongated transparent material chamber for containing immiscible fluids having different densities such as air and mineral oil. The lighter density fluid forms a visible signal within the chamber that is moveable between the distal and proximal ends. The period associated with the movement of the visible signal depends on the different elevations of the chamber ends. The shape of the chamber along with the density of the two fluids also contributes to the time period the visible signal takes to move between the two ends of the chamber. When the air bubble moves to a predetermined position within the chamber, this indicates when the utensil may be used for consuming food.

Claims

1. An eating utensil for indicating when food may be eaten therewith, comprising:

an instrumentality for engaging said food; and

a handle for manipulating said instrumentality and including an elongated chamber for viewing a visible signal at a predetermined position along said chamber for indicating when said food may be eaten, said chamber having first and second ends for containing first and second immiscible fluids having different densities, one of said fluids forming said visible signal and moveable to said predetermined position when one of said ends is elevated above the other.

2. The eating utensil of claim 1 further comprising said first and second immiscible fluids having different densities.

3. The eating utensil of claim 2 wherein said first fluid comprises air.

4. The eating utensil of claim 3 wherein said second fluid comprises mineral oil.

5. The eating utensil of claim 2 wherein said one fluid forms a second visible signal at a second predetermined position along said chamber for positioning said instrumentality on a dish and said handle next to said dish, said one fluid being moveable to said second position when said other end of said chamber is elevated above said one end.

6. The eating utensil of claim 1 wherein said chamber comprises a cylinder of transparent material.

7. The eating utensil of claim 6 wherein at least one of said ends includes a material having a predetermined color for reflecting said color outside of said transparent chamber as said one fluid approaches said at least one end within a predetermined distance.

8. The eating utensil of claim 1 wherein said chamber comprises a cylinder having a first inside diameter about said ends and a second inside diameter smaller than said first diameter about the middle of said chamber for slowing passage of said fluids between said ends.

9. The eating utensil of claim 1 wherein said instrumentality comprises a fork.

10. The eating utensil of claim 1 wherein said instrumentality comprises a spoon.

11. The eating utensil of claim 1 wherein said instrumentality comprises a knife.

12. The eating utensil of claim 1 wherein said chamber includes first and second portions and a partition with first and second passageways between said portions.

13. An eating utensil wherein a timer is provided comprising:

first and second immiscible fluids having different densities and an elongated chamber having first and second ends for containing said fluids, one of said fluids forming a visible formation moveable to a predetermined position about one of said ends for timing said interval of time when said one end is elevated above the other, said interval of time comprising the amount of time for said formation to move from said first end to said predetermined position.

14. A dietary control fork, comprising:

a plurality of prongs for engaging said food; and

a handle for manipulating said prongs, said handle including an elongated cylinder having first and second ends and comprised of a transparent material for viewing a bubble at a predetermined position about said first end for indicating when said food may be eaten and also including mineral oil and air contained in said chamber, said air forming said bubble in said mineral oil, said bubble being moveable to said predetermined position at a predetermined rate, when said first end is elevated above said second end a predetermined distance, said bubble being moveable to a start position about said second end when said second end is elevated above said first end, said bubble moving from said start to said predetermined position in a predetermined period of time dependent on said first end being elevated above said second end a predetermined distance, a diameter of said cylinder, and the density of said mineral oil.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising lifting said utensil from said dish to manipulate said food after said visible formation reaches said predetermined position along said elongated chamber.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising elevating said proximal end of said chamber above said distal end to move said visible formation toward said proximal end while using said utensil to engage said food.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising waiting until said visible formation moves toward said proximal end and to a second predetermined position along said elongated chamber before repositioning said utensil on said dish.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising repositioning said utensil on said dish after eating a bite of said food with said utensil.

15. Method of indicating with an eating utensil when food may be eaten, said utensil having a visible formation moveable between proximal and distal ends of an elongated chamber included in a handle thereof, said utensil also including an instrumentality for manipulating said food, comprising the steps of:

positioning said utensil with said instrumentality resting on a dish and said handle resting next to said dish with said distal end of said chamber elevated above said proximal end, and

waiting until said visible formation moves toward said distal end and to a predetermined position along said elongated chamber before using said utensil to engage said food.