Multi-Function Chopsticks

Abstract

The functions of the knife and fork are added to chopsticks to create the Multi-Function Chopsticks. Optionally, the chopsticks may also include a straw function to create the Enhanced Multi-Function Chopsticks.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims the benefit of my co-pending Provisional Application No. 61/217,002, filed on May 27, 2009. The entire disclosure of said provisional application is incorporated herein by reference.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This present invention, the “Multi-Function Chopsticks,” is a novel eating utensil that provides the functions of chopsticks, knife, and fork, all in a single eating utensil. It combines on the one hand the advantages or usefulness of chopsticks, and on the other hand the advantages or usefulness of knife and fork. This invention also includes within its scope a straw function embedded in one member of the chopsticks to give rise to the “Enhanced Multi-Function Chopsticks.”

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Chopsticks are widely used as an eating utensil that can be used with the fingers of one hand to grasp and pick up food and put the food in the mouth, a bowl, or a plate. These are the advantages of chopsticks. One major disadvantage of chopsticks is that it cannot be used like a knife to cut up food into smaller pieces. To do that, besides needing a knife, one also needs a fork to hold down the food so that the knife can cut up the food. The fork can also poke or pierce into a morsel of food, making it easier to pick up the food. Thus there is a need for a new eating utensil that can combine the functions of chopsticks, knife, and fork.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide in a single set of chopsticks the advantages of chopsticks in combination with the functions of a knife and fork. Optionally, a straw function can be added to one member of the chopsticks to further enhance the functionality of the chopsticks.

PRIOR ART

Although there have been prior patents that proposed combining functionalities in an eating utensil, none of them proposed the same design or structure as the present invention. The differences in design and structure also result in differences in how the multi-function eating utensil is to be used.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,173 “Combination Fork and Chopsticks” proposed combining the fork functionality and the chopstick functionality within a new utensil that is a fork at one end and chopsticks at the other end. So if one wants to use the fork functionality, then one end of the eating utensil is used, and if one wants to use the chopsticks functionality, then the other end of the eating utensil is used. In contrast, the present invention as described below is clearly different in design and structure and how the eating utensil is to be used. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,173, the chopsticks are two prongs of a single element, which makes it less flexible than traditional chopsticks to open and close the two prongs. The present invention keeps the chopsticks as the traditional two separate elements, which makes it much more flexible to open and close the two chopsticks. Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,173 did not provide a knife functionality or a straw functionality.

Another example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,628,432 “Multi-Purpose Eating Utensil” proposed combining the spoon, fork, knife, and chopsticks functionalities into a single eating utensil. Although similar in objective as the present invention, the design and structure are distinctly different. For example, the chopsticks functionality as provided in U.S. Pat. No. 7,628,432 uses two prongs in a single element, whereas the chopsticks functionality in the present invention uses the traditional two separate chopsticks. Similar to the discussion for U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,173, this difference results in differences in the flexibility of opening and closing the two prongs when using the utensil as chopsticks. This fundamental difference in design and structure can also lead to great differences in the cost and method of producing the eating utensil. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,628,432 states “. . . said eating utensil is made entirely of a single piece of metal that provides flexibility and spring for opening and closing said two members . . . ” The Multi-Function Chopsticks of the present invention can be made from a variety of materials, including inexpensive materials such as wood, bamboo, and plastic. Another difference is that U.S. Pat. No. 7,628,432 provides a spoon function, and the present invention in the embodiment of the “Enhanced Multi-Function Chopsticks” provides a straw function.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

There are three figures.

FIG. 1 is a pictorial representation of the Multi-Function Chopsticks providing the functions of chopsticks, knife, and fork.

FIG. 2a is a pictorial representation of the Enhanced Multi-Function Chopsticks providing the functions of chopsticks, knife, fork, and straw.

FIG. 2b is a pictorial representation of an alternative design of the Enhanced Multi-Function Chopsticks providing the functions of chopsticks, knife, fork, and straw.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION AND THE DRAWING FIGURES

The Multi-Function Chopsticks discussed hereinafter provide the advantages of chopsticks, knives, and forks by combining the functions of chopsticks, knives, and forks in a single eating utensil, making it easier to cut up food into smaller pieces and pick up food to put in the mouth, a bowl, or a plate.

The usefulness of the invention is further enhanced by adding a straw function, resulting in an Enhanced Multi-Function Chopsticks. The Enhanced Multi-Function Chopsticks allow the user to use it also to drink liquid soup, besides using it as a fork, knife, and chopsticks.

FIG. 1 describes a pair of chopsticks according to the present invention whereby the eating ends (10) of the chopsticks are designed to be pointed, but not sharp like a needle. With pointed ends (10), the chopsticks, either individually or in a pair, can provide the poking/piercing function of a fork. Because they are not sharp like a needle, they will be safe to use to put food in the mouth. One of the pointed chopsticks can also be used to hold down food so that the other pointed chopstick as described below can be used to cut the food. Since chopsticks can already be used to pick up food, it is not necessary to duplicate the scooping function of the fork.

As depicted in FIG. 1, a small section (e.g., around two inches in length) near the pointed end (e.g., starting about an inch from the end) of one of the chopsticks can be serrated (11) such as in a serrated knife. According to the invention, based on this construction this member of the Multi-Function Chopsticks can be used like a knife to cut the food, while the other member of the Multi-Function Chopsticks can be used like a fork to hold down the food to be cut. Because the serrated part is not at the very end and because the serrated part does not have a sharp edge like in a sharp metal knife, the Multi-Function Chopsticks are safe to use.

As depicted in FIG. 2a, to add a straw function, one can hollow out one of the chopsticks, including a small hole at both ends (12) of the chopsticks, thus allowing this member to function as a straw. The chopstick that is hollowed out also has a serrated portion (11) to provide the knife function. The other chopstick that is not hollowed out can have a solid pointed end (10) that can be used to provide the fork function. As an optional embodiment, I provide an alternative design with the roles reversed as in FIG. 2b, i.e., the chopstick that is hollowed out to provide a straw function (12) also has a pointed end, but now a non-solid pointed end (13), to provide the fork function. In this alternative design, the other chopstick has a solid pointed end (10) and also the serrated feature (11) to provide the knife function. Of course, if one is not using the knife-member of the chopsticks to cut, then the knife-member can also be used as a fork.

Just like ordinary chopsticks, various materials can be used to make the Multi-Function Chopsticks, e.g., they can be made of wood, bamboo, plastic, stainless steel, sterling silver. Although more expensive to produce than traditional chopsticks, if produced in large quantities with material such as wood, bamboo, or plastic, Multi-Function Chopsticks can still be produced inexpensively. Therefore, they can be used as disposable utensils in restaurants or homes as current wooden, bamboo, or plastic chopsticks. More expensive Multi-Function Chopsticks made with material such as stainless steel or sterling silver can be reusable utensils.

The dimensions of the Multi-Function Chopsticks can be similar to the dimensions of the traditional chopsticks. The specific dimensions mentioned below are only for illustration purposes. For example, its length can be eight to twelve inches long. Its horizontal cross section can be circular, elliptical, square, rectangular, or other shapes. If it is circular or elliptical, away from the pointed end, the diameter (if circular) or the length of the major axis (if elliptical) can be about one-quarter of an inch, with the length of the minor axis slightly smaller. If it is square or rectangular, away from the pointed end, the width of the square or the width of the larger side of the rectangle can be about one-quarter of an inch, with the width of the smaller side of the rectangle slightly smaller. The serrated portion of the chopstick with the knife function should start about one inch from the pointed end and about two inches in length. The tapered end of the chopsticks should be pointed, but not sharp as in a needle.

For the Enhanced Multi-Function Chopsticks, the chopsticks, or at least the one with the straw function, may need to be slightly thicker. The chopstick that has the straw function should be hollowed out, with the diameter of the hole about one-eighth of an inch. But it still has an external surface with some thickness (e.g., about one-sixteenth or three-thirty-second of an inch) that allows this chopstick to be strong enough to provide also the knife function (or the fork function if the alternative design is chosen as previously described).

Multiple sets of dimensions could be used for the Multi-Function Chopsticks, corresponding to various embodiments of the Multi-Function Chopsticks.

With the added knife and fork functionalities, the Multi-Function Chopsticks also could make it easier for a user who is not adept in using traditional chopsticks to use it as an effective eating utensil.

Claims

1. A pair of Multi-Function Chopsticks comprising both members having a pointed end providing a fork function in combination with one of the members also having near its pointed end a cutting edge providing a knife function.

2. A pair of chopsticks as defined in claim 1 with the additional functionality that at least one member is designed with a hollow body providing a straw-like function, giving rise to the Enhanced Multi-Function Chopsticks.

3. A pair of chopsticks as defined in claim 1 which can be made with a variety of materials, including wood, bamboo, plastic, stainless steel, or sterling silver.

4. A pair of chopsticks as defined in claim 1 wherein the horizontal cross section can take the form of various shapes, including circular, elliptical, square, or rectangular.