Knife and Fork Assembly that can Function as Chopsticks

A knife and fork assembly includes a knife and a fork detachably connected with the knife. The knife has a first end provided with an elongate first handle and a second end provided with a blade. The blade has a locking groove which has an entrance. The locking groove has a hooked section. The fork has a first end provided with an elongate second handle and a second end provided with a neck. The neck has a plurality of protruding tines and a plurality of slots between the tines. The neck has an opening. The locking groove is locked onto one of the slots, and the hooked section is hooked in the opening. Thus, the first handle of the knife co-operates with the second handle of the fork to function as a pair of chopsticks.

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Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a utensil or tableware and, more particularly, to a knife and fork assembly.

2. Description of the Related Art

A conventional knife and fork assembly comprises two sticks each made of stainless steel material, a small knife removably mounted on one of the sticks, and a small fork removably mounted on the other one of the sticks. The sticks co-operate with each other to function as a pair of chopsticks. Each of the sticks has a hollow tail end which has an outer thread. The small knife is made of stainless steel material and has a tail end with a screwing means (such as an inner thread) screwed onto the tail end of one of the sticks. The small fork is made of stainless steel material and has a tail end with a screwing means (such as an inner thread) screwed onto the tail end of the other one of the sticks. However, it is necessary to assemble the small knife and the small fork when in use, thereby causing inconvenience to the user. In addition, the small knife and the small fork cannot co-operate with each other to function as a pair of chopsticks so that the user needs to provide the sticks additionally, thereby increasing the cost of fabrication of the conventional knife and fork assembly. Further, food dregs and greases easily accumulate between the sticks, the small knife and the small fork so that the conventional knife and fork assembly cannot be cleaned easily.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a knife and fork assembly, comprising a knife and a fork detachably connected with the knife. The knife has a first end provided with an elongate first handle and a second end provided with a blade for cutting food. The blade of the knife has a side provided with a locking groove. The locking groove of the knife has an end provided with an entrance. The locking groove of the knife has a first side provided with a protruding hooked section. The fork has a first end provided with an elongate second handle and a second end provided with a neck. The neck of the fork has a distal end provided with a plurality of protruding tines and a plurality of slots defined between the tines. The neck of the fork has a surface provided with an opening aligning with one of the slots. The locking groove of the knife is locked onto one of the slots of the fork, and the hooked section of the knife is snapped into and hooked in the opening of the fork, so that the neck of the fork is connected with the blade of the knife, and the second handle of the fork is aligned with the first handle of the knife. In such a manner, the first handle of the knife co-operates with the second handle of the fork to function as a pair of chopsticks.

The locking groove of the knife has a second side provided with a positioning boss. The neck of the fork has a side provided with a positioning recess which is snapped onto the positioning boss of the knife when the locking groove of the knife is locked onto one of the slots of the fork.

Preferably, the entrance of the knife is directed toward the first handle.

The blade of the knife is provided with an elastic plate extended through the entrance of the locking groove, and the neck of the fork abuts the elastic plate of the knife when the neck of the fork is connected with the blade of the knife. The elastic plate of the knife has a side provided with a buffering space which is defined between the elastic plate and the blade so that the elastic plate of the knife is movable elastically in the buffering space when being pressed by the neck of the fork.

The elastic plate of the knife is extended outward from the locking groove and has a curved shape. The elastic plate of the knife is curved in and directed toward the buffering space.

The knife and fork assembly further comprises two mounting jackets mounted on the first handle of the knife and the second handle of the fork respectively. The mounting jackets have colors different from each other. The first handle of the knife has a periphery provided with a first mounting groove for mounting one of the mounting jackets. The second handle of the fork has a periphery provided with a second mounting groove for mounting the other one of the mounting jackets.

The first mounting groove of the knife has a surface provided with at least one first locating protrusion secured in one of the mounting jackets. The second mounting groove of the fork has a surface provided with at least one second locating protrusion secured in the other one of the mounting jackets.

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a knife and fork assembly that can function as chopsticks.

According to the primary advantage of the present invention, the knife and the fork are operated individually and can co-operate with each other to function as a pair of chopsticks, thereby enhancing the versatility of the knife and fork assembly.

According to another advantage of the present invention, the knife and fork assembly can function as chopsticks so that the user needs not to prepare chopsticks additionally.

According to a further advantage of the present invention, each of the knife and the fork is formed integrally, thereby reducing the cost of fabrication of the knife and fork assembly.

Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a knife and fork assembly in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional assembly view of the knife and fork assembly as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective assembly view of the knife and fork assembly as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a schematic operational view of the knife and fork assembly as shown in FIG. 3 in use.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a knife and fork assembly in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a side cross-sectional assembly view of the knife and fork assembly as shown in FIG. 5.

 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1-4, a knife and fork assembly in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a knife 1 and a fork 2 detachably connected with the knife 1.

The knife 1 has a first end provided with an elongate first handle 11 and a second end provided with a blade 12 for cutting food. The blade 12 of the knife 1 has a periphery provided with an arcuate cutting edge 121 for cutting the food. The blade 12 of the knife 1 has a side provided with a locking groove 13. The locking groove 13 of the knife 1 has an end provided with an entrance 131. The entrance 131 of the knife 1 is directed toward the first handle 11. The locking groove 13 of the knife 1 has a first side provided with a protruding hooked section 14. The hooked section 14 of the knife 1 is located adjacent to the entrance 131. The locking groove 13 of the knife 1 has a second side provided with a positioning boss 15. The positioning boss 15 of the knife 1 faces hooked section 14.

The fork 2 has a first end provided with an elongate second handle 21 and a second end provided with a neck 22. The neck 22 of the fork 2 has a distal end provided with a plurality of protruding tines 23 for penetrating the food and a plurality of slots 24 defined between the tines 23. The neck 22 of the fork 2 has a surface provided with an opening 25 aligning with one of the slots 24. The neck 22 of the fork 2 has a side provided with a positioning recess 26 which is snapped onto the positioning boss 15 of the knife 1 when the locking groove 13 of the knife 1 is locked onto one of the slots 24 of the fork 2.

In assembly, when the neck 22 of the fork 2 is moved upward relative to the blade 12 of the knife 1, the locking groove 13 of the knife 1 is locked onto one of the slots 24 of the fork 2, the hooked section 14 of the knife 1 is snapped into and hooked in the opening 25 of the fork 2, and the positioning recess 26 of the fork 2 is snapped onto and positioned on the positioning boss 15 of the knife 1, so that the neck 22 of the fork 2 is connected with the blade 12 of the knife 1, and the second handle 21 of the fork 2 is aligned with the first handle 11 of the knife 1. At this time, the neck 22 of the fork 2 is inserted through the entrance 131 of the knife 1 into the locking groove 13 of the knife 1. In addition, the blade 12 of the knife 1 is locked in one of the slots 24 of the fork 2, and is clamped between two of the tines 23 of the fork 2 exactly and closely. In such a manner, the first handle 11 of the knife 1 co-operates with the second handle 21 of the fork 2 to function as a pair of chopsticks.

As shown in FIG. 1, the knife 1 and the fork 2 are detached from each other so that the knife 1 and the fork 2 are operated individually.

As shown in FIG. 4, the knife 1 and the fork 2 are combined with each other so that the first handle 11 of the knife 1 co-operates with the second handle 21 of the fork 2 to function as a pair of chopsticks, thereby facilitating a user taking the food.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the blade 12 of the knife 1 is provided with an elastic plate 16 extended through the entrance 131 of the locking groove 13, and the neck 22 of the fork 2 abuts the elastic plate 16 of the knife 1 when the neck 22 of the fork 2 is connected with the blade 12 of the knife 1. The elastic plate 16 of the knife 1 has a side provided with a buffering space 17 which is defined between the elastic plate 16 and the blade 12 so that the elastic plate 16 of the knife 1 is movable elastically in the buffering space 17 when being pressed by the neck 22 of the fork 2. The elastic plate 16 of the knife 1 is extended outward from the locking groove 13 and has a curved shape. The elastic plate 16 of the knife 1 is curved in and directed toward the buffering space 17. Thus, the neck 22 of the fork 2 is pushed elastically by the elastic plate 16 of the knife 1 so that the hooked section 14 of the knife 1 is connected with the opening 25 of the fork 2 tightly and closely, and the knife 1 can co-operate with the fork 2 smoothly and conveniently.

In addition, the knife and fork assembly further comprises two mounting jackets 3 mounted on the first handle 11 of the knife 1 and the second handle 21 of the fork 2 respectively. The mounting jackets 3 have colors different from each other. The first handle 11 of the knife 1 has a periphery provided with a first mounting groove 111 for mounting one of the mounting jackets 3. The first mounting groove 111 of the knife 1 has a surface provided with at least one first locating protrusion 112 secured in one of the mounting jackets 3. The second handle 21 of the fork 2 has a periphery provided with a second mounting groove 211 for mounting the other one of the mounting jackets 3. The second mounting groove 211 of the fork 2 has a surface provided with at least one second locating protrusion 212 secured in the other one of the mounting jackets 3.

Accordingly, the knife 1 and the fork 2 are operated individually and can co-operate with each other to function as a pair of chopsticks, thereby enhancing the versatility of the knife and fork assembly. In addition, the knife and fork assembly can function as chopsticks so that the user needs not to prepare chopsticks additionally. Further, each of the knife 1 and the fork 2 is formed integrally, thereby reducing the cost of fabrication of the knife and fork assembly.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claim or claims will cover such modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A knife and fork assembly, comprising:

a knife; and
a fork detachably connected with the knife;
wherein the knife has a first end provided with an elongate first handle and a second end provided with a blade for cutting food;
the blade of the knife has a side provided with a locking groove;
the locking groove of the knife has an end provided with an entrance;
the locking groove of the knife has a first side provided with a protruding hooked section;
the fork has a first end provided with an elongate second handle and a second end provided with a neck;
the neck of the fork has a distal end provided with a plurality of protruding tines and a plurality of slots defined between the tines;
the neck of the fork has a surface provided with an opening aligning with one of the slots;
the locking groove of the knife is locked onto one of the slots of the fork, and the hooked section of the knife is snapped into and hooked in the opening of the fork, so that the neck of the fork is connected with the blade of the knife, and the second handle of the fork is aligned with the first handle of the knife;
the first handle of the knife co-operates with the second handle of the fork to function as a pair of chopsticks.

2. The knife and fork assembly of claim 1, wherein

the locking groove of the knife has a second side provided with a positioning boss;
the neck of the fork has a side provided with a positioning recess which is snapped onto the positioning boss of the knife when the locking groove of the knife is locked onto one of the slots of the fork.

3. The knife and fork assembly of claim 1, wherein the entrance of the knife is directed toward the first handle.

4. The knife and fork assembly of claim 1, wherein

the blade of the knife is provided with an elastic plate extended through the entrance of the locking groove;
the neck of the fork abuts the elastic plate of the knife when the neck of the fork is connected with the blade of the knife;
the elastic plate of the knife has a side provided with a buffering space which is defined between the elastic plate and the blade so that the elastic plate of the knife is movable elastically in the buffering space when being pressed by the neck of the fork.

5. The knife and fork assembly of claim 4, wherein

the elastic plate of the knife is extended outward from the locking groove and has a curved shape;
the elastic plate of the knife is curved in and directed toward the buffering space;

6. The knife and fork assembly of claim 1, wherein

the knife and fork assembly further comprises two mounting jackets mounted on the first handle of the knife and the second handle of the fork respectively;
the mounting jackets have colors different from each other;
the first handle of the knife has a periphery provided with a first mounting groove for mounting one of the mounting jackets;
the second handle of the fork has a periphery provided with a second mounting groove for mounting the other one of the mounting jackets.

7. The knife and fork assembly of claim 6, wherein

the first mounting groove of the knife has a surface provided with at least one first locating protrusion secured in one of the mounting jackets;
the second mounting groove of the fork has a surface provided with at least one second locating protrusion secured in the other one of the mounting jackets.
Patent History
Publication number: 20140059783
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 29, 2012
Publication Date: Mar 6, 2014
Inventors: Meng-Chang Lu (Kaohsiung City), Hung-Chih Chen (Liujiao Township)
Application Number: 13/597,357
Classifications
Current U.S. Class: Cutter Combined With Other Tool Or Tools (7/158)
International Classification: A47G 21/06 (20060101);