EATING ASSIST DEVICE, AND METHODS OF EATING

Abstract

The invention provides an eating assist device which can be used by persons who have lost all or substantially all use of their hands for gripping or grasping items. Once a piece of food has been placed in the device, the person needing such assistance can eat substantially all the food without further assistance. The device generally comprises a support stand, a food holder mounted on the support stand, and a food advancing mechanism which the eater can activate, manipulate without gripping or grasping anything, for advancing the food frontwardly in the food holder. The advancing mechanism is illustrated as a reel which can be activated to advance a sheet material which is threaded into the food holder in such a way as to advance the food in the food holder as a cord or strap is accumulated onto the reel.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This Application is a Non-Provisional of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/995,227, filed Apr. 7, 2014, the entirety of the preceding application being incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to devices used to facilitate independent eating by persons needing assistance with eating.

Persons having limited use of their hands may experience such limitations as muscle damage or failure, nerve damage or failure, bone damage or failure, or the like. Common to such situations is a degradation or total loss of the ability of the person to use their hands to grip or grasp items, including gripping or grasping pieces of food which are meant to be eaten while being held in the eater's hand.

Persons having such limited or lack of use of their hands to grip or grasp items are unable to grip or grasp items of food or utensils commonly used to move food from a bowl or plate to the person's mouth. Accordingly, for such persons, receiving nutrition is limited to (i) intravenous feeding, (ii) drinking liquids with a straw, or (iii) having e.g. more solid food items fed to them by an assistant who manipulates utensils or the like.

Regarding persons having limited gripping or grasping use of their hands, it is known to provide special-purpose hand-held eating utensils which can be held and manipulated by persons who have lost less than all ability to grip or grasp items. There can be mentioned for example, the utensils available through the Internet from “livingmadeeasy.org.uk/eating”.

Various utensils, bowls, and the like, which similarly can be held and manipulated by persons who have lost less than all ability to grip or grasp items, are available through the internet from “etac.com ”.

A hands-free sandwich holder, which holds a sandwich suspended from the user's neck, is available, through the internet, from “foodiggity.com/hands-free-sandwich-holder”. But that sandwich holder has no way to expose for eating any portion of the sandwich/food item which is being held between the jaws of the holder.

None of the above approaches resolve the problems of independent eating, which are faced by a person who has lost all ability to grip or grasp an object with his/her hands, including exposing additional portions of the food.

None of the above approaches provides a holder which enables a person, who has no ability to grip or grasp an object with his/her hands, to hold a piece of food proximate the eater's mouth, and to incrementally advance the food out of the holder, toward the eater, as the food is consumed.

It would be desirable to provide a food holder which holds a piece of food, greater than what can be consumed in a single bite, ready and available for an eater to eat proximate the eater's mouth.

It would also be desirable to provide such a food holder which is readily manually portable, yet stable in use.

It would also be desirable to provide such a food holder which can advance the food out of the holder as the food is being consumed by the eater.

It would further be desirable to provide such a food holder wherein the holder prevents an exposed portion of food from being pushed further back into the holder as the eater attempts to take a bite of the food.

It would further be desirable to provide such a food holder wherein the eater can manipulate the device, without the eater having to use his/her hands to grip or grasp any element of the device in such manipulation, such that the device advances the food out of the holder as the food is being consumed by the eater.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides an eating assist device which can be used by persons who have lost all or substantially all use of their hands for gripping or grasping items. Once a piece of food has been placed in the device by a care giver, the person needing such assistance can eat substantially all the food without further assistance. The device generally comprises a support stand, a food holder mounted on the support stand, and a food advancing mechanism which the eater can activate, manipulate without gripping or grasping anything, for advancing the food frontwardly in the food holder as portions of the food are consumed by the eater. The food advancing mechanism is embodied, in the illustrated embodiments, in a reel which can be activated to advance a sheet material which is threaded into the food holder in such a way as to advance the food in the food holder as a cord or strap is accumulated onto the reel.

In a first family of embodiments, the invention contemplates an eating assist device, comprising a support stand having a front and a rear, a bottom and a top, the support stand comprising a holder support, spaced above the bottom of the support stand, the holder support having a top; a food holder mounted to the holder support, the food holder having a bottom including a bottom surface, and a top; and a reel at least temporarily fixed in position relative to the support stand.

In some embodiments, a central portion of the bottom surface of the food holder is spaced above the top surface of the holder support so as to define a space which accommodates inserting a paper between the top surface of the holder support and the bottom surface of the food holder.

In some embodiments, the central portion of the bottom surface of the food holder is spaced above the top surface of said holder support by a spacer which is integral with the food holder.

In some embodiments, the central portion of the bottom surface of the food holder is spaced above the top surface of the holder support by a spacer which is separate and distinct from the food holder.

In some embodiments, the eating assist device further comprises a sheet gripper, the sheet gripper optionally comprising a support block, and a grip assembly mounted to the support block.

In some embodiments, the food holder comprises an upper jaw and a lower jaw, one of the upper jaw and the lower jaw being movable toward, and away from, the other of the upper jaw and the lower jaw, while facing surfaces of the upper and lower jaws maintain a relatively constant angle with respect to each other.

In some embodiments, the facing surfaces of the upper and lower jaws maintain a relatively parallel relationship with respect to each other.

In some embodiments, the food holder comprises a jaw mounted to the support stand so as to accommodate movement of the jaw toward, and away from, the holder support.

In some embodiments, the jaw is mounted to the support stand so as to accommodate upward movement of the jaw away from the holder support and downward movement of the jaw toward the holder support.

In some embodiments, first and second guide pins are mounted to the support stand, the food holder further comprising a jaw, the jaw being mounted to the first and second guide pins.

In some embodiments, the jaw is mounted to the first and second guide pins so as to be adapted to accommodate upward movement of the jaw relative to the first and second guide pins and away from the holder support, and downward movement of the jaw relative to the first and second guide pins and toward the holder support.

In some embodiments, first and second apertures extend through the jaw from a top of the jaw to a bottom of the jaw, the jaw being mounted to the holder support by the jaw being positioned over the guide pins and moved downwardly while receiving the first and second guide pins through the first and second apertures, such that the guide pins extend through the apertures, the guide pins thereby acting as jaw direction guides confining jaw movement to a limited up/down direction of sliding movement of the jaw on the guide pins.

In some embodiments, the eating assist device further comprises a sheet gripper, a cord or strap being mounted on the reel, an end portion of the cord or strap extending to, and being mounted so as to move with, the sheet gripper.

In some embodiments, the eating assist device further comprises a brake adapted and configured to accommodate accumulation of the cord or strap onto the reel, and to hinder release of the cord or strap from the reel, while the brake is being applied to the reel.

In some embodiments, a cord or strap is mounted on the reel, an end portion of the cord or strap extending to, and being mounted so as to move with, the sheet gripper, the food holder comprising a lower jaw above the holder support and an upper jaw above the lower jaw, the upper and lower jaws each having a front and a rear, the apparatus further comprising a length of sheet material, first and second end portions of the length of sheet material being gripped by the sheet gripper, the sheet material extending, from the sheet gripper, frontwardly of the fronts of the upper and lower jaws and extending rearwardly between the upper and lower jaws, such that an intermediate portion of the length of sheet material defines a U-shaped loop between the upper and lower jaws, with a base of the U-shaped loop between the upper jaw and the lower jaw and facing toward the fronts of the upper and lower jaws, such that rearward movement of the sheet gripper results in frontward movement of the U-shaped loop of sheet material between the upper and lower jaws.

In some embodiments, the upper and lower jaws each have an upper surface and a lower surface, the sheet material extending, from the first end portion in the sheet gripper frontwardly below the upper surface of the lower jaw, thence about the front of the lower jaw and rearwardly to the intermediate portion of the disposable sheet material between the upper surface of the lower jaw and the lower surface of the upper jaw, thence to and about the front of the upper jaw and rearwardly to the second end portion of the sheet material in the sheet gripper. In some embodiments, rotation of the reel so as to accumulate the cord or strap onto the reel results in rearward movement of the sheet gripper.

In some embodiments, rotation of the reel so as to accumulate the cord or strap onto the reel results in frontward movement of the intermediate portion of the sheet material.

In some embodiments, the eating assist device further comprises a first cord or strap guide disposed rearwardly of the sheet gripper, and a second cord or strap guide below the holder support, the first and second cord or strap guides guiding the cord or strap rearwardly from the sheet gripper, thence toward the reel.

In a second family of embodiments, the invention comprehends an eating assist device, comprising a support stand having a front and a rear, a bottom and a top, the support stand comprising a holder support, spaced above the bottom of the support stand, the holder support having a top; and a food holder mounted to the holder support, the food holder comprising an upper jaw and a lower jaw, one of the upper jaw and the lower jaw being movable toward, and away from, the other of the upper jaw and the lower jaw, while facing surfaces of the upper jaw and the lower jaw maintain a relatively constant angle with respect to each other.

In some embodiments, the eating assist device further comprises a sheet gripper disposed toward the rear of the support stand.

In some embodiments, the eating assist device further comprises a reel at least temporarily fixed in position relative to the support stand.

In some embodiments, the eating assist device further comprises a reel at least temporarily fixed in position relative to the support stand, and a cord or strap mounted on the reel, an end portion of the cord or strap extending to, and being mounted so as to move with, the sheet gripper.

In some embodiments, the food holder has a bottom, a central portion of the bottom of the food holder being spaced above the top surface of the holder support so as to define a space which accommodates inserting a width of sheet material between the top of the holder support and the bottom of the food holder.

In some embodiments, the sheet gripper comprises a support block, and a grip assembly mounted to the support block.

In some embodiments, facing surfaces of the upper and lower jaws maintain a relatively parallel relationship with respect to each other.

In some embodiments, the upper jaw is mounted to the support stand so as to accommodate upward movement of the upper jaw away from the holder support and downward movement of the upper jaw toward the holder support.

In some embodiments, first and second guide pins are mounted to the support stand, the upper jaw being mounted using the first and second guide pins.

In some embodiments, the upper jaw is mounted to the first and second guide pins so as to be adapted to accommodate upward movement of the upper jaw relative to the first and second guide pins and away from the lower jaw, and downward movement of the upper jaw relative to the first and second guide pins and toward the lower jaw.

In some embodiments, first and second apertures extend through the upper jaw from a top of the upper jaw to a bottom of the upper jaw, the upper jaw being adapted to being mounted to the holder support by the upper jaw being positioned over the guide pins and moved downwardly while receiving the first and second guide pins through the first and second apertures, such that the guide pins extend through the apertures, the guide pins thereby acting as jaw direction guides confining movement of the upper jaw, while so mounted on the guide pins, to a limited up/down direction of sliding movement of the upper jaw on the guide pins.

In a third family of embodiments, the invention comprehends a method of assisting a person needing assistance with eating, the method comprising providing an eating assist device, the eating assist device comprising a support stand having a front and a rear, a bottom and a top, the support stand comprising a holder support spaced above the bottom of the support stand, the holder support having a top, a food holder mounted to the holder support, the food holder comprising an upper jaw and a lower jaw, one of the upper jaw and the lower jaw being movable toward, and away from, the other of the upper jaw and the lower jaw, a reel at least temporarily fixed in position relative to the support stand, a sheet gripper, a cord or strap mounted on the reel, an end of the cord or strap extending to, and mounted so as to move with, the sheet gripper, and a length of sheet material, first and second end portions of the length of sheet material being gripped by the sheet gripper, the length of sheet material extending, from the sheet gripper, frontwardly of the fronts of the upper jaw and the lower jaw and extending rearwardly between the upper and lower jaws, such that an intermediate portion of the length of sheet material defines a U-shaped loop between the upper and lower jaws with a base of the U-shaped loop facing frontwardly from between the upper jaw and the lower jaw, and upper and lower legs of the length of sheet material extending frontwardly from the base of the U-shaped loop; and mounting a food item into the food holder between the upper and lower jaws such that the food item faces the upper and lower legs of the sheet material, while leaving a portion of the food item exposed, extending out of the food holder in front of the upper and lower jaws.

In some embodiments the method further comprises positioning the eating assist device proximate the person needing assistance with eating.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises the person needing assistance taking bites of the exposed food.

In some embodiments, the method comprises, after the person needing assistance has eaten at least some of the exposed food and has left a remainder portion of the food in the food holder, rotating the reel so as to accumulate an additional portion of the cord or strap on the reel and thereby causing the base of the U-shaped loop of the sheet material to move frontwardly relative to the upper and lower jaws, thereby pushing some of the remainder portion of the item of food out of the food holder, and providing an additional exposed portion of the food item available for eating.

In some embodiments, the eating assist device further comprises a brake adapted and configured to accommodate accumulation of the cord or strap onto the reel, and to hinder release of the cord or strap from the reel while the brake is being applied to the reel.

In some embodiments, the sheet material comprises grease resistant paper.

In some embodiments, the sheet material comprises parchment paper.

These and other features and advantages of this invention are described in, or are apparent from, the following detailed description of various exemplary embodiments of the apparatus and methods according to this invention, when taken in light of the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of the present invention and the attendant features and advantages thereof may be had by reference to the following detailed description when considered in combination with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of one embodiment of an eating assist device of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the eating assist device of FIG. 1, without the sandwich.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the eating assist device of FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the eating assist device of FIGS. 1-3.

FIG. 5 is a section view of the eating assist device of FIGS. 1-4 taken at 5-5 of FIG. 2 and looking down on the crumb tray.

FIG. 6 is a section view of the eating assist device of FIGS. 1-5 taken at 6-6 of FIG. 2 and looking down on the base plate.

FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the eating assist device shown in FIGS. 1-6.

FIG. 8 is a top/plan view of the upper jaw.

FIG. 9 is a front elevation view of the upper

FIG. 10 is a side elevation view of the upper jaw.

FIG. 11 is a top/plan view of an alternate embodiment of the upper jaw.

FIG. 12 is a front elevation view of the upper jaw of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a side elevation view of the upper jaw of FIG. 11.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, an eating assist device 10, having a front and a rear, holds a sandwich as a food item, with an exposed portion of the sandwich projecting frontwardly from the front of the eating assist device. The sandwich is held between two layers of thin-section sheet material 14.

As illustrated, eating assist device 10 includes a support stand 16 which supports a food holder 18 and a sheet gripper 20. A reel 22 is mounted to the support stand, and a cord or strap 24 extends from the reel to the sheet gripper. A brake 26 is mounted to the support stand and accommodates accumulation of the cord or strap on the reel and hinders release of the cord or strap from the reel while the brake is being applied to the reel. A crumb tray 28 is mounted below the food holder to catch crumbs and other food items which are dropped while a person is eating food being held in the food holder.

Support stand 16 has a base plate 36 which faces, and is generally parallel to an underlying support surface such as table 32. Base plate 30 has a length “L” and a width “W”, both of sufficient magnitudes to provide reliable stability to device 10 on the table while a person is eating food being held in food holder 18. Feet 34 extend down from the base plate and space the base plate from the top surface of table 32.

Upstanding support stand body 36 is mounted to base plate 30 by screws 38, and extends upwardly from the base plate. Holder support plate 40 is mounted to the top of upstanding body 36 by screws 42. Holder support plate 40 has a front edge 44 which is disposed rearwardly of the front edge 46 of base plate 30 and a rear edge 48 which, as illustrated, is disposed generally perpendicularly above the rear edge 50 of base plate 30.

As illustrated, holder support plate 40 is inclined upwardly, rear-to-front, by an angle a of about 3 degrees to about 20 degrees, optionally about 4 degrees to about 10 degrees, optionally about 5 degrees to about 8 degrees, optionally about 6 degrees, where the base line for angle a is parallel to the top of table 32.

First and second guide pins 52 are threadedly mounted to holder support plate 40, alternatively press fit into shape-fitted holes in the support plate, and extend upwardly, generally perpendicular the holder support plate.

Food holder 18 is illustrated as including an upper jaw 54 and a lower jaw 56, mounted to the holder support plate by guide pins 52. Upper jaw 54 and lower jaw 56 are generally rectangular and are sized, length and width, so as to be able to hold a typical sandwich, a piece of pizza, or other commonly-hand-held item of food between the upper and lower jaws. As illustrated in FIG. 8, first and second apertures 58 extend, top-to-bottom, through each of upper and lower jaws 54, 56. Apertures 58 are generally disposed toward the rear of each jaw.

In assembling the jaws to holder support plate 40, lower jaw 56 is first positioned above guide pins 52, with apertures 58 aligned with guide pins 52. With the guide pins so aligned with the apertures, the lower jaw is lowered onto the guide pins such that the guide pins are received through the apertures and the lower jaw reaches the bottom of its range of movement on the guide pins, proximate, but spaced from holder support plate 40. Lower jaw 56 is spaced from support plate 40, generally parallel to support plate 40, by first and second spacers 60 on opposing sides of the lower jaw. Spacers 60 can be mounted either on the top of support plate 40 or on the bottom of lower jaw 56. Spacers 60 provide a slot-shaped space 62 between the bottom of lower jaw 56 and the top of support plate 40.

With the lower jaw thus mounted to the support plate using guide pins 52, the upper jaw is correspondingly mounted to the support plate in the same manner. Thus, the upper jaw is positioned above the guide pins with its apertures 58 aligned with the guide pins. With the guide pins so aligned with the apertures in the upper jaw, the upper jaw is lowered onto the guide pins such that the guide pins are received through the apertures and the upper jaw reaches the bottom of its range of movement on the guide pins as the lower surface of the upper jaw comes into abutment with the upper surface of the lower jaw.

As illustrated, the upper and lower jaws are generally mirror images of each other, with the exception that the upper jaw may optionally include a lift handle. Thus, the upper and lower jaws generally have the same top-to-bottom thickness, the same lengths, and the same widths. The front 10-35 percent of the top or bottom-facing outer surface of each jaw is tapered so as to guide the sheet material toward the respective facing surfaces of the upper and lower jaws. The upper surface of the lower jaw is generally parallel to the top surface of support plate 40. The lower surface of the upper jaw, as mounted on pins 52, is generally parallel to the upper surface of the lower jaw. Accordingly, the interface between the upper surface of the lower jaw and the lower surface of the upper jaw is generally parallel to the upper surface of the support plate. As a result, a piece of food such as a sandwich which is being held between the jaws as shown in FIG. 1 is projected frontwardly of the food holder at an angle which corresponds to angle a. While the illustrated angle a is not critical to the performance of eating assist device 10, for example the magnitude of angle a can be zero, the inventor has discovered that such upwardly-directed angle, as illustrated in the drawings, does facilitate conventional eating while the eater is seated at a conventional e.g., dining table.

Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 2, sheet gripper 20 can be a conventional spring-loaded gripping device. As illustrated, sheet gripper 20 has upper and lower jaws 64, 66 pivoting about pivot pin 68, the jaws being spring-loaded relative to each other by a spring 70 which resides between jaws 64, 66. Accordingly, in its rest position, the jaws are spring-loaded closed. The jaws are opened by the user squeezing the rear edges of the jaws toward each other. Upon release of that squeezing force, spring 70 returns the jaws to their closed, rest position. So the default condition of the sheet gripper is to grip whatever substance may be disposed between the closed ends of jaws 64, 66 whenever no squeezing force is being applied at the rear ends of the jaws.

Still referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, reel 22 is illustrated mounted at the front of base plate 30. Left and right flanges 72 extend up from base plate 30, with reel 22 mounted on pivot pin 74 which extends through flanges 72. Pivot pin 74 can extend through flanges 72, wheels 76, and spool 78, or can be integral with wheels 76 and spool 78, thus extending as a separate and distinct element, only through flanges 72. Reel 22 has left and right wheels 76 and a take-up spool 78 between wheels 76. The outer circumferences of wheels 76 are comprised of a rubber or other tactile material 80.

In the alternative, the circumferential surfaces of wheels 76 can be textured e.g. by abrasives/random texturing, knurling, or by a selected pattern of laser texturing such as a pattern of cut lines across the widths of the wheels. Any structure and/or process which provides the outer circumferences with surfaces which exhibit sufficient friction that a user/eater can rotate reel 22 by applying a modest amount, such as no more than about 2 pounds to about 4 pounds, of force pressing against a wheel circumference and urging wheel rotation is satisfactory to the requirements of the invention.

One end of a length of cord 24 is attached to spool 78. Cord 24 extends, from spool 78, rearwardly under the bottom surface of base plate 30 and above the top surface of table 32, namely between the base plate and the table, to the rear of base plate 30. At the rear of base plate 30, cord 24 turns, and extends about the rear of the base plate, at a first cord guide 82 (FIGS. 5, 6), and continues upwardly to the rear of holder support plate 40, where the cord turns, and extends about about the rear of holder support plate 40 at a second cord guide 84, and continues thence frontwardly to sheet gripper 20. The second end of the cord is attached to the sheet gripper so as to at least temporarily fix the length of the cord which extends between sheet gripper 20 at one end of the cord and spool 78 at the other end of the cord.

Opposing ends 86A, 86B of a length of sheet material 14 are firmly gripped in the jaws of sheet gripper 20. From sheet gripper 20, the sheet material extends frontwardly to and about the fronts of the upper and lower jaws. Namely, an upper portion of the sheet material extends over the top of the upper jaw, and a lower portion of the sheet material extends through slot-shaped space 62, namely under the bottom of the lower jaw and above the top of the holder support plate. From the fronts of the upper and lower jaws, sheet material 14 extends rearwardly between the upper and lower jaws such that an intermediate portion 88 of the length of sheet material defines a U-shaped loop 90 between the upper and lower jaws, with a base of the U-shaped loop between the upper and lower jaws and facing frontwardly.

When the sheet material is so positioned, and with the jaws allowed to move to their rest position, the upper jaw moves, slides on guide pins 52 by the force of gravity downwardly until it reaches the top of the lower jaw, with the two layers of sheet material disposed between the facing surfaces of the upper and lower jaws. The eating assist device is, in this condition, ready to receive an item of food in the food holder.

When a user desires to load an item of food into the food holder, the user lifts the upper jaw away from the lower jaw by a distance sufficient to allow insertion of the item of food, separating the two layers of sheet material in the process. While the upper and lower jaws are being held so separated, the item of food is then inserted, namely pushed, into the space which has been so defined between upper and lower jaws 54, 56, the item of food being thus positioned between the facing surfaces of the sheet material.

If U-shaped loop 90 cannot be moved far enough to the rear between jaws 54, 56 to receive the item of food properly, the user lifts brake lever 26 away from wheels 76 and holds the brake lever in the lifted condition while withdrawing enough cord from the spool as wheels 76 move in a reverse, namely a cord-dispensing, motion to allow the desired positioning of the U-shaped loop of the paper. With the paper so positioned, brake lever 26 is released whereupon gravity again returns the brake onto wheels 76, where the brake again controls any release of cord 24.

Once the food item is so positioned, the upper jaw is released whereupon gravity causes the upper jaw to descend onto the item of food. Until further input from a user, the force of gravity on the upper jaw applies a gentle downward force on the item of food, thus applying a collective force, through the item of food, which serves to gently clasp and hold the item of food between the upper and lower jaws. With the item of food being so gently clasped and held, the food is available for an eater, sitting at the table to, without assistance, simply take bites of the exposed portion of the food.

When a substantial portion of the exposed food has been eaten, the eater, namely the person needing assistance eating, can engage either or both of wheels 76 by simply applying pressure against the tactile surface of one or both of the respective wheels and applying a desired and appropriate motion to one or both of the wheels to wind more of the cord onto the spool.

Cord 24, which may also be thought of as a line string or twine, can be any elongate material having sufficiently limited extensibility to serve the purpose of effectively advancing the intermediate portion of sheet material 14 when wheels 76 are rotated. A typical such cord includes a group of plies, yarns or strands which are twisted or braided or otherwise combined to form a larger and stronger form. A typical such cord is similar to a cotton chalk line used in the construction industry, and has a diameter of about 1 millimeter to about 3 millimeters, optionally 2 millimeters.

Depending on the materials used and the method of fabrication, cord 24 may have dimensions commonly associated with a strap, whereby such strap may be an equivalent of cord 24.

Brake 26 is an elongate lever arm. A pivot pin 96 extends through both support stand 16 and a first end of the brake lever arm, and mounts the brake loosely to the support stand such that, absent any lifting force being exerted on the lever arm, gravity is effective to draw the opposing second end of the lever arm onto wheels 76. The positioning of the end of the brake arm on wheels 76 is such that rotation of the wheels to shorten cord 24 rotates the surfaces of the wheels away from the lever arm such that the brake permissively allows the wheels to turn. By contrast, rotation of the wheels which would allow release cord from the reel causes the surfaces of the wheels to move toward the end of the brake. In such instance, the texturing on the wheels engages the end of the brake lever arm, transferring the attempted rotation of the wheels into a force exerted along the length of the brake to pivot pin 96, whereby the brake is effective to prevent rotation of the wheels 76.

Thus, as the eater takes bites of the food in the food holder, any force tending to push the food rearwardly in the food holder, which release cord from the reel, is resisted by brake 26.

However, it is important to be able to hold the brake in a released condition while inserting an item of food into food holder 18. To that end, a brake release 98 may be provided. Brake release 98 includes a release lever 100 mounted to base plate 30 by a flange 102 and pivot pin 104 A handle 106 extends laterally from lever 100 and facilitates interaction with lever 100. Lever 100 rotates freely with respect to pivot pin 104. When the brake is to be available for active use in a braking function, release lever 100 is in its default down position as illustrated in FIG. 1.

An elongate recess 108 in the bottom surface of the brake lever arm is configured to receive lever 100 when braking action is to be released, removed from reel 22. To release brake 26 from its braking function, such as when food is being inserted into jaws 54, 56, between the layers of parchment paper, the user uses handle 106 to lift release lever 100 to an upright, e.g. vertical, position, such that the distal end of release lever 100 is in abutting relationship with recess 108 in the brake lever arm as illustrated in dashed outline in FIG. 2. For example and without limitation, in a typical such use, release lever 100 has pivoted at least 90 degrees, typically past the vertical, from its down position generally parallel with the top of base plate 30, such that gravity assists in holding the release lever in its erect orientation. In such released position of brake 26, the end of the release lever is in contact with a surface of elongate, tapered, recess 108.

As an alternative, release lever 100 and handle 106 may be omitted. In such instance, a user releases brake 26 by engaging and lifting brake 26 away from wheels 76 using the user's hand or other engaging object.

While the brake is so released, a parchment paper can be loaded into the jaws and attached to the sheet gripper. With the parchment paper thus in place, a food item can be placed in the jaws, withdrawing cord from reel 22 as necessary in properly positioning the food item in the jaws. With the food item so placed, the brake release can be positioned back to its default/rest/down position, thus again positioning the interface end of the brake onto wheels 76. With the brake again in position to interact with wheels 76, any slack in the cord and/or the paper can be taken up by rotating wheels 76 in the appropriate direction.

Reel 22 is shown mounted to base plate 30. If desired, reel can be separately mounted, not attached to the eating assist device, so long as the reel is fixedly positioned in location relative to the eating assist device.

Reel 22 is illustrated as a manually activated structure. In some embodiments, the reel is attached to an electric or electronic mechanism whereby the reel can be powered by e.g. an electric motor, which can be activated with a suitably-selected and mounted electrically-powered switch. thus, for example and without limitation, a motor can be mounted adjacent reel 22, and the motor shaft drives reel 22. A toggle switch may be mounted at any desired location on device 10. Alternatively, for persons who have lost control of movement of their arms and hands, a bite-operated switch can be mounted at a desired location on device 10. Or a switch can be mounted to any convenient location where the eater can activate the switch with whatever body part is capable of activating the switch to advance food being held in the food holder.

Upper and lower jaws have generally common dimensions and materials. Upper jaw 54 will be described in some detail. A typical such upper jaw is made from any commonly-used plastic which is safe for contact with food. Acrylics, and ones of the olefins, such as polyethylene or polypropylene, are examples of such safe plastics. A typical such jaw is 3.75 inches long front to back, 5.75 inches wide, and about 0.5 inch thick top-to-bottom. The front 10-35 percent of the top surface 110 of the upper jaw is tapered downwardly as a guide to help direct the paper downwardly as the paper approaches the front of the jaw. Bottom surface 112 of the upper jaw is illustrated as being flat/planar. However, curved, or mildly angled surfaces, or surfaces having cavities, pores, or the like, are contemplated as being acceptable.

A limited amount of drag/friction is desirable for maintaining control of paper 14 so as to maintain control of a food item in the food holder. However, an excessive amount of drag/friction at the facing surfaces of the jaws can hinder movement of the food item in the food holder when such movement is desired e.g., after the exposed portion of the food has been eaten. While the surface friction of paper 14 can be adapted to facilitate food movement, it is preferable that the paper move relative to the jaws rather than the food move relative to the paper. Accordingly, where drag at the interface between the upper and lower jaws is otherwise excessive, the drag/friction relative to the paper at the facing jaw surfaces can be controlled by removing some of the material which would otherwise come into direct contact with the paper.

FIGS. 8-9 show an upper jaw where a substantial portion, e.g., greater than half, of the lower surface of the jaw has been removed in order to reduce the amount of surface area of the jaw which contacts paper 14 at the lower surface of upper jaw 54, thus to limit/control/reduce the amount of friction/drag between the paper and the facing surfaces of jaws 54, 56. Such surface area reduction is effected by creating a series of seven elongate apertures 114 which extend, top-to-bottom, entirely through the thickness of the jaw. Each aperture extends front-to-back along the length of the jaw. The apertures are uniformly spaced across the width of the jaw. While apertures are shown extending entirely through the thickness of the jaw, elongate cavities can serve the purpose as well, so long as the cavities are of sufficient depth to prevent routine contact between paper 14 and the interior surfaces of the cavities while food is being held between jaws 54, 56.

FIGS. 11-13 show an alternative structure for reducing the amount of the surface area of the jaw which contacts paper 14. In this alternative embodiment, the surface area of contact has been reduced by using a combination of circular apertures 114 which extend entirely through the thickness of the jaw, and shallow cavities 116 which extend only part-way through the thickness of the jaw. Cavities 116 are illustrated as being present at both the upper and lower surfaces of the upper jaw, in order to facilitate movement of paper 14 across both the upper and lower surfaces of the upper jaw.

The amount of surface area of the jaw which is removed, e.g. the area occupied by apertures 54, or apertures 114 and/or cavities 116, can be any amount sufficient to achieve the desired level of drag between the jaws and sheet material/paper 14. The removed such area so occupied by apertures or cavities can be, for example and without limitation, 50 percent, 60 percent, 70 percent, 80 percent, 90 percent, or the like so long as the jaws, with the so-structured apertures and/or cavities, are structurally capable of supporting sheet material/paper 14 and the corresponding item of food. The greater the inherent surface friction between sheet material 14 and the material which forms the surface of the respective jaw, the greater the amount of the surface area of that jaw which is removed during jaw fabrication.

Upper food gripping jaw 54 can differ from lower jaw 56 by having a handle 118 which facilitates lifting the upper jaw while food is being inserted into the food holder. In such instance, paper 14 is fed through the opening between handle 118 and the upper surface of the upper jaw.

The sheet material which interfaces with the food at food holder jaws 54, 56 can be any thin-section material which can safely and effectively interface with food being held in the jaws. Thus, sheet material 14 is physically thin, and sufficiently flexible to navigate the turns about the fronts of upper and lower jaws 54, 56 while generally conforming to the profiles of the jaws. Sheet material 14 is sufficiently flexible to navigate the turn embodied in U-shaped loop 90, and to adapt to changes in that loop as the food is moved about between the jaws as the eater consumes the food. Sheet material 14 should be readily cut or torn to length, and should be low cost in order to allow for disposal of a such length of sheet material after a single use. Sheet material must be safe for direct contact with food which is to be held between jaws 54, 56 and which is to be eaten by a eater. Thus the chemical composition of sheet material 14 must be such as to not pose a health threat to the eater or an assisting care giver.

Given that hand held foods may contain substantial quantities of water and/or grease, desirably sheet material 14 is water and grease resistant, such that little if any of the content of sheet material 14 dissolves in water or grease thereby to be potentially transferred or otherwise leached into a piece of food being held at the interface with the sheet material. In some instances, however, it can be desirable that sheet material absorb some of the grease which may be present in the food item, thus reducing the quantity of fat being received by the eater.

As non-limiting examples of products which can be used as sheet material there can be mentioned parchment and other grease resistant papers, plastic films such as polyethylene films, polypropylene films, polyvinylidene chloride films, and parchment paper. Any such film can be a solid e.g. extruded film, or a woven product, or a non-woven fibrous product. There can also be mentioned various grease-absorbing products such as certain paper/film laminates where the film provides strength against tearing and the paper provides a desired level of grease and/or water absorbency while maintaining the integrity of the paper layer without transferring paper fibers into the food.

As illustrated, a new/fresh length of sheet material 14, cut or torn at both ends to define a length tailored for a single use, is typically inserted into gripper 20 for each use of device 10. In the alternative, a roll of sheet material 14 can be mounted to device 10 and fed, as a continuous strip, to gripper 20. Such continuous strip can be fed e.g. through a slot behind the front of sheet gripper jaw 66, thence through the jaw interface, about food holder 18, and back to jaw 64. Accordingly, the recitation of “end portions” of a length of sheet material does not imply that an end portion of the “length” necessarily represents an end of the sheet. Namely, the sheet can be endless, while the length being used can have a defined length. However, the phrase “length of sheet material” may represent the entire length of that sheet.

Jaws 54, 56 are shown in FIG. 2 as being generally parallel to each other. However, as indicated previously herein, jaws 54, 56 are mounted to holder support plate 40 by sliding the respective jaws downwardly on guide pins 52, Such sliding requires a clearance between guide pins 52 and the sidewalls of apertures 58. Accordingly, the degree of the stated parallelism between jaws 54, 56 is informed by that clearance which is necessary and/or desirable to facilitate such mounting of the jaws relative to guide pins 52.

In an alternate embodiment, upper jaw 54 can be mounted stationary on guide pins 52 and lower jaw can be manipulated to apply upwardly-directed force to hold a food item against the upper jaw. Such upwardly-directed force can be imparted by e.g. spring-loading the lower jaw relative to the upper jaw or relative to the holder support plate.

In yet another alternate embodiment, the lower jaw can be omitted, and upper jaw 54 can be mounted so as to interface, through sheet material 14, with the upper surface of holder support plate 40. In such embodiment, the lower jaw is omitted. Spacers 60 are omitted. Sheet material 14 is fed under holder support plate e.g. through a slot in the support plate. A desired number and pattern of apertures 58 is provided in support plate 40. The front end of the support plate may be tapered to mirror the profile, seen in FIG. 2, of upper jaw 54. In such instance, only upper jaw 54 need be mounted on guide pins 52.

FIG. 2 shows a backstop 120 mounted to lower jaw 56, and extending up from the rear edge of the lower jaw. Backstop 120 is an e.g. rigid plastic plate which extends generally the width of jaw 56, and has a height, above jaw 56, corresponding generally to the height dimension of the opening between upper and lower jaws 54, 56 at e.g. the maximum spacing between jaws 54, 56 when the upper jaw is raised for inserting a piece of food. Backstop 120 is an optional element of the invention which prevents sheet material 14 or food 12 from being pushed beyond the rear of the food holder.

While this invention has been described in conjunction with the specific embodiments outlined above, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the preferred embodiments of the invention, as set forth above, are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

Claims

1. An eating assist device comprising:

(a) a support stand having a front and a rear, a bottom and a top, said support stand comprising a holder support, spaced above the bottom of said support stand, said holder support having a top;

(b) a food holder mounted to said holder support, said food holder having a bottom including a bottom surface, and a top; and

(c) a reel at least temporarily fixed in position relative to said support stand.

2. An eating assist device as in claim 1, a central portion of the bottom surface of said food holder being spaced above the top surface of said holder support so as to define a space which accommodates inserting a paper between the top surface of said holder support and the bottom surface of said food holder.

3. An eating assist device as in claim 2, the central portion of the bottom surface of said food holder being spaced above the top surface of said holder support by a spacer which is integral with said food holder.

4. An eating assist device as in claim 2, the central portion of said bottom surface of said food holder being spaced above the top surface of said holder support by a spacer which is separate and distinct from said food holder.

5. An eating assist device as in claim 1, said eating assist device further comprising a sheet gripper.

6. An eating assist device as in claim 5, said sheet gripper comprising a support block, and a grip assembly mounted to said support block.

7. An eating assist device as in claim 1, said food holder comprising an upper jaw and a lower jaw, one of said upper jaw and said lower jaw being movable toward, and away from, the other of said upper jaw and said lower jaw, while facing surfaces of said upper and lower jaws maintain a relatively constant angle with respect to each other.

8. An eating assist device as in claim 7 wherein the facing surfaces of said upper and lower jaws maintain a relatively parallel relationship with respect to each other.

9. An eating assist device as in claim 1, said food holder comprising a jaw mounted to said support stand so as to accommodate movement of said jaw toward, and away from, said holder support.

10. An eating assist device as in claim 9 wherein said jaw is mounted to said support stand so as to accommodate upward movement of said jaw away from said holder support and downward movement of said jaw toward said holder support.

11. An eating assist device as in claim 1, first and second guide pins being mounted to said support stand, said food holder further comprising a jaw, said jaw being mounted to said first and second guide pins.

12. An eating assist device as in claim 11, said jaw being mounted to said first and second guide pins so as to be adapted to accommodate upward movement of said jaw relative to said first and second guide pins and away from said holder support, and downward movement of said jaw relative to said first and second guide pins and toward said holder support.

13. An eating assist device as in claim 11, first and second apertures extending through said jaw from a top of said jaw to a bottom of said jaw, said jaw being mounted to said holder support by said jaw being positioned over said guide pins and moved downwardly while receiving said first and second guide pins through the first and second apertures, such that said guide pins extend through the apertures, said guide pins thereby acting as jaw direction guides confining jaw movement to a limited up/down direction of sliding movement of said jaw on said guide pins.

14. An eating assist device as in claim 1, said eating assist device further comprising a sheet gripper, a cord or strap being mounted on said reel, an end portion of said cord or strap extending to, and being mounted so as to move with, said sheet gripper.

15. An eating assist device as in claim 14, said eating assist device further comprising a brake adapted and configured to accommodate accumulation of said cord or strap onto said reel, and to hinder release of said cord or strap from said reel, while said brake is being applied to said reel.

16. An eating assist device as in claim 5, a cord or strap being mounted on said reel, an end portion of said cord or strap extending to, and being mounted so as to move with, said sheet gripper, said food holder comprising a lower jaw above said holder support and an upper jaw above said lower jaw, said upper and lower jaws each having a front and a rear, said apparatus further comprising a length of sheet material, first and second end portions of said length of sheet material being gripped by said sheet gripper, said sheet material extending, from said sheet gripper, frontwardly of the fronts of said upper and lower jaws and extending rearwardly between said upper and lower jaws, such that an intermediate portion of said length of sheet material defines a U-shaped loop between said upper and lower jaws, with a base of the U-shaped loop between said upper jaw and said lower jaw and facing toward the fronts of said upper and lower jaws,

such that rearward movement of said sheet gripper results in frontward movement of the U-shaped loop of sheet material between said upper and lower jaws.

17. An eating assist device as in claim 16, said upper and lower jaws each having an upper surface and a lower surface, said sheet material extending, from the first end portion in said sheet gripper frontwardly below the upper surface of said lower jaw, thence about the front of said lower jaw and rearwardly to the intermediate portion of said disposable sheet material between the upper surface of said lower jaw and the lower surface of said upper jaw, thence to and about the front of said upper jaw and rearwardly to the second end portion of said sheet material in said sheet gripper.

18. An eating assist device as in claim 16 wherein rotation of said reel so as to accumulate said cord or strap onto said reel results in rearward movement of said sheet gripper

19. An eating assist device as in claim 16 wherein rotation of said reel so as to accumulate said cord or strap onto said reel results in frontward movement of the intermediate portion of said sheet material.

20. An eating assist device as in claim 14, said eating assist device further comprising a first cord or strap guide disposed rearwardly of said sheet gripper, and a second cord or strap guide below said holder support, said first and second cord or strap guides guiding said cord or strap rearwardly from said sheet gripper, thence toward said reel.

21. An eating assist device, comprising:

(a) a support stand having a front and a rear, a bottom and a top, said support stand comprising a holder support, spaced above the bottom of said support stand, said holder support having a top; and

(b) a food holder mounted to said holder support, said food holder comprising an upper jaw and a lower jaw, one of said upper jaw and said lower jaw being movable toward, and away from, the other of said upper jaw and said lower jaw, while facing surfaces of said upper jaw and said lower jaw maintain a relatively constant angle with respect to each other.

22. An eating assist device as in claim 21, said eating assist device further comprising a sheet gripper disposed toward the rear of said support stand.

23. An eating assist device as in claim 22, said eating assist device further comprising a reel at least temporarily fixed in position relative to said support stand.

24. An eating assist device as in claim 21, said eating assist device further comprising a reel at least temporarily fixed in position relative to said support stand, and a cord or strap mounted on said reel, an end portion of said cord or strap extending to, and being mounted so as to move with, said sheet gripper.

25. An eating assist device as in claim 24, said eating assist device further comprising a brake adapted and configured to accommodate accumulation of said cord or strap onto said reel, and to hinder release of said cord or strap from said reel, while said brake is being applied to said reel.

26. An eating assist device as in claim 21, said food holder having a bottom, a central portion of the bottom of said food holder being spaced above the top surface of said holder support so as to define a space which accommodates inserting a width of sheet material between the top of said holder support and the bottom of said food holder.

27. An eating assist device as in claim 22, said sheet gripper comprising a support block, and a grip assembly mounted to said support block.

28. An eating assist device as in claim 21 wherein facing surfaces of said upper and lower jaws maintain a relatively parallel relationship with respect to each other.

29. An eating assist device as in claim 21 wherein said upper jaw is mounted to said support stand so as to accommodate upward movement of said upper jaw away from said holder support and downward movement of said upper jaw toward said holder support.

30. An eating assist device as in claim 21, first and second guide pins being mounted to said support stand, said upper jaw being mounted to said first and second guide pins.

31. An eating assist device as in claim 30, said upper jaw being mounted to said first and second guide pins so as to be adapted to accommodate upward movement of said upper jaw relative to said first and second guide pins and away from said lower jaw, and downward movement of said upper jaw relative to said first and second guide pins and toward said lower jaw.

32. An eating assist device as in claim 31, first and second apertures extending through said upper jaw from a top of said upper jaw to a bottom of said uupper jaw, said upper jaw being adapted to being mounted to said holder support by said upper jaw being positioned over said guide pins and moved downwardly while receiving said first and second guide pins through the first and second apertures, such that said guide pins extend through the apertures, said guide pins thereby acting as jaw direction guides confining movement of said upper jaw, while so mounted on said guide pins, to a limited up/down direction of sliding movement of said upper jaw on said guide pins.

33. An eating assist device, comprising;

(a) a support stand;

(b) a food holder mounted on said support stand; and

(c) a food advancing mechanism which an eater can activate without gripping or grasping anything, for advancing the food frontwardly in the food holder.

34. An eating device as in claim 33, further comprising a reel which can be activated to advance a sheet material in said food holder as a cord or strap is accumulated onto the reel, thereby exposing, for eating, an additional element of the food in said food holder.

35. An eating assist device as in claim 34, further comprising a sheet material threaded into said food holder, thereby to advance the food in said food holder as the cord or strap is accumulated onto the reel.

36. A method of assisting a person needing assistance with eating, the method comprising:

providing an eating assist device, the eating assist device comprising (i) a support stand having a front and a rear, a bottom and a top, the support stand comprising a holder support spaced above the bottom of the support stand, the holder support having a top, (ii) a food holder mounted to the holder support, the food holder comprising an upper jaw and a lower jaw, one of the upper jaw and the lower jaw being movable toward, and away from, the other of the upper jaw and the lower jaw, (iii) a reel at least temporarily fixed in position relative to the support stand, (iv) a sheet gripper, (v) a cord or strap mounted on the reel, an end of the cord or rap extending to, and mounted so as to move with, the sheet gripper, and (vi) a length of sheet material, first and second end portions of the length of sheet material being gripped by the sheet gripper, the length of sheet material extending, from the sheet gripper, frontwardly of the fronts of the upper jaw and the lower jaw and extending rearwardly between the upper and lower jaws, such that an intermediate portion of the length of sheet material defines a U-shaped loop between the upper and lower jaws with a base of the U-shaped loop facing frontwardly from between the upper jaw and the lower jaw, and upper and lower legs of the length of sheet material extending frontwardly from the base of the U-shaped loop: and

(b) mounting a food item into the food holder between the upper and lower jaws such that the food item faces the upper and lower legs of the sheet material, while leaving a portion of the food item exposed, extending out of the food holder in front of the upper and lower jaws.

37. A method as in claim 36, the method further comprising positioning the eating assist device proximate the person needing assistance with eating.

38. A method as in claim 36, the method further comprising the person needing assistance taking bites of the exposed food.

39. A method as in claim 38 wherein, after the person needing assistance has eaten at least some of the exposed food and has left a remainder portion of the food in the food holder, rotating the reel so as to accumulate an additional portion of the cord or strap on the reel and thereby causing the base of the U-shaped loop of the sheet material to move frontwardly relative to the upper and lower jaws, thereby pushing some of the remainder portion of the item of food out of the food holder, and providing an additional exposed portion of the food item available for eating.

40. A method as in claim 36, the eating assist device further comprising a brake adapted and configured to accommodate accumulation of the cord or strap onto the reel, and to hinder release of the cord or strap from the reel while the brake is being applied to the reel.

41. A method as in claim 36 wherein the sheet material comprises grease resistant paper.

42. A method as in claim 36 wherein the sheet material comprises parchment paper.