French fry scoop

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a scoop for French fries comprising a mouth for scooping French fries from a bin, a funnel extending from the mouth at a first end and sized to accept an empty French fry package at a second end, wherein the mouth and the funnel share a central longitudinal axis. A handle is mounted substantially along the central longitudinal axis of the funnel and the mouth. The scoop may also include a hood at least partially covering the mouth. The funnel can either be substantially open or closed. The handle can be mounted to the funnel or the hood, if present. A shield may be connected to the hood to provide additional safety and sanitary enhancements.

Description

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/618,283, filed Oct. 12, 2004.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to devices for picking up and directing materials into a container and more particularly to scoops for picking up French fries and feeding them into a package.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Scoops are widely used to transfer materials from one container to another. Typically, a scoop is used to transfer food, ice or other free flowing materials from a larger vessel to a smaller vessel, e.g., from a main storage bin to a bucket or dispenser. There are also more specialized scoops that include attached funneling portions for funneling picked up material directly into a container. A particular example of these specialized scoops is a French fry scoop. There are at least three such scoops that are available commercially. They are made respectively by Traex, Tablecraft and Prince Castle. The design of these three scoops, apart from minor variations in material and construction, are substantially the same. That basic design, as shown in FIGS. 1-3, consists of an open front mouth or scoop portion 12 in a substantially trapezoidal shape, having curved or angled wings 14 on the angled side portions 16 of the mouth 12. Extending directly from the mouth portion 12 is a funnel portion 18, also having curved or angled wings 20. A handle or handles 22 extend outwardly from the angled side portions 16 of the mouth 12.

These scoops have a number of significant drawbacks. First, because of the location of the handles, a user seeking to scoop up French fries will often have his or her hand come into contact with either the bed in which the French fries are resting or the fries in the bed which are not being scooped. Since French fries tend to be very hot, greasy and salty, contact with them can lead to a host of contamination and safety issues.

Second, because the mouth portion 12 is almost completely wide open, and because French fries do not line up neatly when scooped, French fries picked up by the device 10 will often fall out when the scoop 10 is brought into a vertical position to funnel the scooped fries into a container. Once again, this presents contamination as well as safety issues.

Finally, because of the location of the handle(s) 22 on the angled side portion(s) 16 of the scoop, scoops with one handle are necessarily configured for either a right or left hand user, but not both. Scoops can be configured with two handles to accommodate both left and right handed users. However, having two handles increases the cost, the weight and the size of the scoop.

As can be seen, the current scoops suffer from certain drawbacks and limitations. Accordingly, a need exists for scoops that are ergonomically designed, minimize the contact of a user's hand with the material being scooped, improve scooping speed and efficiency, and solve other problems associated with the existing designs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises an improved French fry scoop that incorporates a hooded or partially covered front mouth portion, a funnel portion extending from the mouth and a handle mounted above the funnel portion, preferably affixed to the hood of the mouth portion.

This basic design provides a number of significant advantages over prior French fry scoops. First, by hooding or partially covering the mouth of the scoop, fries are controlled in their travel into a package. This has the effect of improving the efficiency and speed of the package filling process. It also means that there is less likelihood that excess fries will fall on or otherwise contact the user's hand.

Second, by mounting the handle above the funnel portion, a user's hand will not contact the French fries or the bin in which they reside during the scooping process. This minimizes or eliminates both the sanitary and safety issues inherent in current designs. This particular configuration also facilitates the use of a single handle that can be oriented to permit use by both right and left-handed persons.

Various other embodiments of the present invention provide still further advantages. In particular, the handle may be angled both horizontally and vertically from its point of attachment. Vertical angling can be used to ergonomically improve the design and to place a user's hand even further away from possible contact with hot French fries, particularly where the funnel portion is partially or completely open. Horizontal angling can be used to make the scoop more comfortable for right or left-handed users. If such angling results in a fixed handle position, it represents a departure from the universal approach espoused above. However, it provides a more ergonomic approach for particular users than the universal design and can be a tremendous ergonomic improvement over prior scoop designs.

The inclusion of a shield mounted to or included as part of the cover portion provides additional advantages. Such a shield further protects a user from contact with hot French fries. It also provides better sanitary conditions and can improve the funneling of the fries into the package.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description, claims, and accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of one embodiment of a prior art French fry scoop;

FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of a second embodiment of a prior art French fry scoop;

FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of a third embodiment of a prior art French fry scoop;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a French fry scoop in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the French fry scoop of FIG. 4 with a modified handle;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a the French fry scoop of FIG. 4 with a shield and modified handle;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of another embodiment of the present invention with the handle angled to accommodate left-handed users;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the French fry scoop of FIG. 7 with the handle angled to accommodate right handed users;

FIG. 9 is a front plan view of the French fry scoop of FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is another perspective view of the French fry scoop of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of still another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a still further embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of yet another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As shown in FIGS. 4-12 and 15, the present invention comprises a scoop 100 having a front mouth portion 102 with a wide top leading edge 104. A hood or cover portion 106, which has its top edge 108 set back relative to the leading edge 104, may serve to partially enclose the mouth portion 102. The bottom 110 of the mouth portion 102 tapers through a throat 116 into a dispensing funnel 112. A handle 114 preferably extends from the cover portion 106.

As shown in FIGS. 5, 10-11 and 15, the cover portion may also include a shield member 118 that extends from and above the cover portion 106. As can be seen, the shield member 118 may take a number of forms. More specifically, as shown in dotted lines in FIGS. 10 and 11, the shield may run substantially the length of the top edge 108 of the cover portion or may run only a portion of the cover portion.

In other preferred embodiments of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the handle 114 is angled horizontally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the dispensing funnel 112 at angles α and θ. Preferably angles α and θ are between 0° and 45°. By angling the handle 114 horizontally in excess of 0° in either direction, the scoop of the present invention can be made more ergonomic for right or left-handed persons. Such positioning of the handle can be accomplished by either fixing the handle in place at a predetermined angle or by providing a handle that is rotatable in either direction and is capable of being locked into place at a desired angular offset.

The handle 114 may also be angled vertically with respect to the longitudinal axis of the dispensing funnel 112. As shown in FIG. 9, the handle 114 is offset from the top of the dispensing funnel 112 at angle γ. Preferably angle γ is between 0° and 45°. Most preferably it is between 10° and 20°. By creating this angular offset the scoop 100 of the present invention can be made more ergonomic for a user. This offset also serves to keep the user's hands farther away from the French fries being fed into a package, something that is of some significant value when the dispensing funnel 112 is open as shown in FIGS. 4, 6, 10, 11, 14 and 15.

In order to achieve the appropriate angular relationship of the handle 114 to the dispensing funnel 112, the handle 114 may be either directly mounted to the scoop or offset from the scoop via a stem 120. The use of stem 120 to provide this offset is preferable to maintain the distance between a user's hand and the dispensing funnel where the dispensing funnel is open and the angle γ is relatively small. FIGS. 5, 9, 11, 13 and 14 show the use of a stem 120 with the handle 114, while FIGS. 4, 6, 12 and 15 show direct attachment of the handle 114 to the scoop 100.

The shape and size of the cover portion 106 may also be adjusted to balance the properties of safety and contamination versus usability and efficiency. In general terms, the larger and narrower the cover portion is, the greater the safety and contamination protection. However, such characteristics also tend to make the scoop slightly more difficult to use and less efficient in its ability to gather and dispense the appropriate amount of French fries in a single pass. On the other hand, the smaller and wider the cover portion is, the less safety and contamination protection is afforded while the greater the usability and efficiency. The above being said, the use of shield members 118 and/or the appropriate angling of the cover portion 106, can generally make up for any losses in safety, contamination control, efficiency and/or usability. Various configurations of the cover portion are shown in FIGS. 4-15.

The cover portion 116, regardless of its shape and size, joins the dispensing funnel 112 at the throat 116. Preferably, the handle 114 is mounted to the cover portion 106 at or near the throat 116. However, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, where the cover portion 106 is relatively large, the handle 114 may be attached to the scoop 100 farther away from the throat. Similarly, where no cover portion is included, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the handle 114 may be attached to a cover 122 or partial cover 124 of the dispensing funnel.

The choice of a fully covered, partially covered or open dispensing funnel 112 depends on a number of factors. One consideration is the location of the French fry bin from which the French fries will be dispensed. If it is in public view, there may be certain aesthetic and marketing advantages to providing consumers with visual confirmation of the manner and quantity of the dispensing of French fries into a container. However, this must be balanced against the potential for contamination and safety concerns attendant the use of an open dispensing funnel. While angling the handle 114 either horizontally or vertically away from the dispensing funnel 112 as shown in FIGS. 4-14, can largely avoid these issues, they are not completely eliminated. One potential compromise is to employ a partially covered dispensing funnel 112 as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15—with or without a cover portion 106.

In use, an empty, open mouthed French fry package is fitted on the bottom of the dispensing funnel 112. The handle 114 of a scoop 100 of the present invention is then grasped by a user. The user then places the leading edge 104 of the front mouth portion 102 on the “floor” of a bin containing French fries. The user then pushes the scoop 100 forward along the floor of the bin until he or she contacts a pile of French fries. The scoop 100 is then angled upward and lifted off the floor of the bin, with an appropriate amount of French fries held in the mouth portion 102. As the user brings the scoop 100 to a vertical position and may or may not shake the scoop 100. French fries are then funneled through the throat 116 of the scoop 100 into the open mouthed French fry package. The user grasps the now-filled package with one hand and withdraws the scoop 100 with the other.

As a result of the location of the handle 114, the presence of the hood or cover portion 106 and any shield 118, the user and the French fries generally do not come into contact. Thus, the present invention yields a significant improvement in the prevention of contamination as well as minimizing the likelihood of harm to a user by contact with hot, greasy and salty French fries.

The scoop of the present invention may be implemented in a variety of configurations, using certain features or aspects of the several embodiments described herein and others known in the art. Thus, although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is perceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific features and embodiments set forth above. Rather, it is recognized that modifications may be made by one of skill in the art of the invention without departing from the spirit or intent of the invention and, therefore, the invention is to be taken as including all reasonable equivalents to the subject matter disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A scoop for French fries comprising:

a mouth for scooping French fries from a bin;

a funnel extending from said mouth at a first, proximal end and sized to accept an empty French fry package at a second, distal end, wherein said mouth and said funnel share a central longitudinal axis;

a handle mounted substantially along said central longitudinal axis of said funnel and said mouth.

2. A scoop according to claim 1, wherein said funnel is substantially open on one side along its length.

3. A scoop according to claim 1, wherein said funnel is substantially closed along its length.

4. A scoop according to claim 3, wherein said handle is attached to said funnel.

5. A scoop according to claim 1, wherein said funnel is partially closed along its length.

6. A scoop according to claim 5, wherein said handle is attached to said funnel.

7. A scoop according to claim 1, further comprising a hood at least partially covering said mouth.

8. A scoop according to claim 7, wherein said handle is attached to said hood.

9. A scoop according to claim 7, further comprising a shield connected to said hood.

10. A scoop according to claim 9, wherein said shield is substantially as wide as said hood.

11. A scoop according to claim 1, wherein said handle is vertically angled relative to said longitudinal axis at greater than about 0°.

12. A scoop according to claim 11, wherein said handle is vertically angled relative to said longitudinal axis at between about 1° and about 45°.

13. A scoop according to claim 12, wherein said handle is vertically angled relative to said longitudinal axis at between about 10° and about 20°.

14. A scoop according to claim 1, wherein said handle is horizontally angled relative to said longitudinal axis at an angle greater than about 0° in any direction.

15. A scoop according to claim 14, wherein said handle is horizontally angled relative to said longitudinal axis at about 45° in any direction.

16. A scoop according to claim 1, wherein said handle is rotatable to achieve a horizontal angular offset greater than about 0° in any direction.

17. A scoop for French fries comprising:

a mouth for scooping French fries from a bin;

a hood at least partially covering said mouth;

a funnel extending from said mouth at a first, proximal end and sized to accept an empty French fry package at a second, distal end, wherein said mouth and said funnel share a central longitudinal axis;

a handle mounted substantially along said central longitudinal axis of said funnel and said mouth.

18. A scoop according to claim 17, wherein said funnel is substantially open on one side along its length.

19. A scoop according to claim 17, wherein said funnel is substantially closed along its length.

20. A scoop according to claim 17, wherein said handle is attached to said funnel.

21. A scoop according to claim 17, wherein said handle is attached to said hood.

22. A scoop according to claim 17, further comprising a shield connected to said hood.