PORTABLE UTENSIL HOLDER FOR A SINGLE DINER

Abstract

A portable utensil holder for providing a utensil setting for a single diner, to serve as a convenient place to place a set of dining utensils for the diner that minimizes contact between the utensils and potentially unsanitary surfaces, for a healthier and more convenient dining experience. The utensil holder includes a set of recesses formed thereon, each shaped to accommodate a utensil of a corresponding type. The recesses are oriented parallel to each other and separated by intervening side walls, giving each utensil its own dedicated spot within the utensil holder. The recesses are connected by a groove oriented orthogonally to the recesses, allowing for utensils to be placed and retrieved while minimizing contact of the utensil head with potentially unsanitary surfaces.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/518,317, filed Aug. 8, 2023, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/519,530, filed Aug. 14, 2023, which are incorporated by reference in their entireties.

BACKGROUND

Dining typically involves use of a number of different utensils for each diner, such as a spoon, fork, and knife. Typically, these utensils are placed on the table next to a diner's plate, or wrapped in a napkin. However, dining tables, such as those at a typical restaurant, may not be cleaned thoroughly between meals, creating concerns with the cleanliness of the utensils when placed directly on the table. In cases where the utensils are wrapped by a napkin, a waiter typically will need to touch many parts of the utensils and the napkin when performing said wrapping, which can be unsanitary if their hands are not clean. In addition, there may not be a convenient place to place utensils between courses, where they are often placed back on the table or on an unwrapped napkin, which at that point of the meal, may have been soiled.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the disclosure have other advantages and features which will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description and the appended claims, when taken in conjunction with the examples in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1A illustrates a perspective view of a utensil holder in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 1B illustrates a top-down view of a utensil holder in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 1C illustrates a perspective view of a utensil holder holding different utensils in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of a utensil holder for holding two utensils, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C illustrate perspective views of single-utensil utensil holders for holding a single fork, knife, and spoon, respectively, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are cross-sectional views of a utensil holder showing a cross section of a recess for holding a single fork placed horizontally within, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 5 is cross-sectional view of a utensil holder showing a cross section of a recess for holding a single fork placed horizontally within, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIGS. 6A-6B illustrate a utensil holder having a recess for accommodating a spoon, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 7A illustrates a perspective view showing a bottom of a utensil holder, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 7B illustrates a cross-sectional view of a utensil holder in accordance with some embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The figures and the following description relate to preferred embodiments by way of illustration only. It should be noted that from the following discussion, alternative embodiments of the structures and methods disclosed herein will be readily recognized as viable alternatives that may be employed without departing from the principles of what is claimed.

FIGS. 1A-1C illustrate different views of a utensil holder in accordance with some embodiments. FIG. 1A illustrates a perspective view of a utensil holder 100. FIG. 1B illustrates a top-down view of the utensil holder 100. FIG. 1C illustrates a perspective view of the utensil holder 100 with utensils placed within.

The utensil holder 100 is a portable apparatus that serves as a convenient place to place a set of dining utensils for a single diner that minimizes contact between the utensils and potentially unsanitary surfaces, to provide a healthier and more convenient dining experience. In addition, the utensil holder arranges the diner's utensils in an organized, aesthetically-pleasing manner, and gives the diner a place to put down their utensils, e.g., between courses, instead of on their plate or on the table, or having to retrieve their napkin from their lap. For example, a server may place a set of utensils into the utensil holder 100 and bring the utensil holder to the diner's table, while only needing to touch a small portion of the handle of each utensil. During the course of a meal, the diner may pick up a desired utensil from the holder for use, and replace the utensil into the holder when not using it, minimizing contact between the utensil head and undesired surfaces, such as the surface of the table or tablecloth, or that of a used napkin.

As shown in FIGS. 1A-1C, the utensil holder 100 has a body with a set of recesses 102 formed on a top surface thereof, e.g., recesses 102A, 102B, and 102C. As used herein, “recess 102” may refer to any one of the recesses 102A-C illustrated in FIGS. 1A-1C. Each of the recesses 102 is shaped to accommodate a corresponding utensil type. For example, as shown in FIGS. 1A-1C, recess 102A is shaped to accommodate a single fork 112 placed horizontally within, recess 102B is shaped to accommodate a single knife 114 placed horizontally within, and recess 102C is shaped to accommodate a single spoon 116 placed horizontally within. The recesses 102 are oriented parallel to each other and separated by intervening side walls, giving each utensil its own dedicated spot within the utensil holder and facilitating easy access by the diner.

In some embodiments, at least one of the recesses 102 comprises a handle portion 106 for accommodating a handle of a corresponding utensil, and a head portion 104 for accommodating a head of the corresponding utensil. In some embodiments, the handle portion 106 of the recess 102 has an elongated shape and comprises a substantially flat bottom surface on which the handle of a utensil rests when placed within the recess 102. The bottom surface of the handle portion 106 is connected to the sidewalls of the recess 102 via rounded or tapered corners, to avoid trapping debris or foodstuffs and facilitate easier cleaning.

The head portion 104 may be shaped differently for different recesses 102 of the utensil holder 100, to accommodate different types of utensils placed in different recesses. For example, the head portion of the recess 102A may have a substantially oblong shape to accommodate a head of a fork placed within the recess 102A, while the head portion of the recess 102C has a substantially oval shape to accommodate a head of a spoon placed within the recess 102C. In some embodiments, a width of the head portion 104 is greater than that of the handle portion 106. In some cases, for at least one of the recesses (e.g., recess 102B), the width of the handle portion 106 and the head portion 104 are the same. For example, as shown in FIG. 1C, the width of the handle portion and head portion of the recess 102B is sufficient to accommodate both handle and blade of the knife 114 placed in a horizontal position within the recess 102B. In some embodiments, for a given recess 102 (e.g., recess 102A), a depth of the head portion 104 is different from that of the handle portion 106. In some embodiments, the depths of the handle and head portions of the recesses 102 are such that so that no portion of the utensils 112, 114, or 116 will rise above the top surface of the utensil holder when placed horizontally within their respective recesses. This allows for multiple utensil holders to be stacked during transport, without the utensils placed within a given utensil holder contacting a surface of another utensil holder. Further details on the shapes and dimensions the handle portions 106 and head portions 104 of different recesses 102 in various embodiments are discussed in greater detail below in relation to the subsequent figures.

The utensil holder 100 further includes a channel or groove 108 oriented substantially orthogonal to the recesses 102 and intersects each of the recesses 102, which facilitates the placement and retrieval of utensils within a corresponding recess 102. The groove 108 has a width sufficient to accommodate the fingertips of a person (e.g., a diner or waiter), and a depth similar to that of a depth of the handle portion 106 of the recesses 102 or slightly smaller, to allow a person to access the groove with the fingers to retrieve a utensil placed within a recess 102 by grabbing the side of the utensil's handle located with the handle portion of the recess. The groove 108 may have a rounded shape, to avoid creating corners that that may trap food or other debris.

In some embodiments, the location of the groove 108 is selected to facilitate placement and retrieval of utensils placed within the recesses. For example, FIGS. 1A-1C illustrates the groove 108 intersects each of the recesses 102 at an off-center location, allowing for a person to grab a handle of a utensil placed within one of the recesses 102 at a location towards the back of the utensil's handle.

As discussed above, the recesses of the utensil holder 100 provide a designated place for the diner to place their utensils, allowing them to pick up and place down their utensils more easily while minimizing contact of the utensil head with potentially unsanitary surfaces, e.g., table surface, soiled napkins, and hands. For example, a person (e.g., a diner or a waiter) placing a utensil (e.g., a spoon) into a corresponding recess 102 may only need to touch one end of the spoon handle to place the spoon within its corresponding recess. In addition, when retrieving the spoon from the recess, the groove 108 provides space for the person to grab the side of the spoon handle with their fingers. Thus, the utensil can be placed within the utensil holder and retrieved for use such that the head of the utensil only comes into contact with the diner's food, mouth, and the utensil holder, while avoiding contact with other surfaces such as the table surface, napkins, etc. The different shapes of the recesses 102 allows a server or diner to easily identify which utensil should be placed in which recess, making it easier for each utensil to be consistently placed within the correct recess.

In some embodiments, the utensil holder 100 contains one or more drainage features (e.g., a drainage channel) 110 within each recess 102. In some embodiments, the drainage channel 110 is located in a center of the bottom surface of each recess. As shown in FIGS. 1A-1C, the drainage channel 110 is formed on a bottom surface of the handle portion of each recess and extends into the head portion of the recess. The drainage channel allows for liquids and/or food particles to drain from the utensil onto the table below, preventing liquids and/or food from pooling within the recess. The drainage channel may also allow for liquids and/or food particles to drain from the utensil holder during washing (e.g., when the utensil holder is placed in a dishwasher or on a drying rack). While the figures illustrate a single drainage channel, it is understood that in other embodiments, different kinds of drainage features may be used, such as multiple holes, multiple channels, etc. In some embodiments, drainage features such as drainage channel 110 may be omitted.

Although FIGS. 1A-1C illustrate a single utensil holder 100 having three recesses 102 for placement of three different utensils (e.g., a fork, knife, and spoon), it is understood that in other embodiments, the utensil holder may contain a different number of recesses corresponding to different combinations of utensils (e.g., two recesses for accommodating two utensils, or four or more recesses for four or more utensils), and/or multiple recesses corresponding to the same type of utensil (e.g., multiple forks, spoons, etc.). For example, FIG. 2 illustrates a utensil holder 200 having a first recess 202A shaped to accommodate a single fork placed horizontally within, and a second recess 202B shaped to accommodate a single knife placed horizontally within. The recesses 202A and 202B may be shaped substantially similar to the recesses 102A and 102B illustrated in FIGS. 1A-1C.

In some embodiments, a utensil holder may contain a single recess for accommodating a single utensil. For example, FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C illustrate perspective views of single-utensil utensil holders 302, 304, and 306 for holding a single fork, knife, and spoon, respectively, in accordance with some embodiments. The recesses of each of the holders shown in FIGS. 3A-3C are substantially similar to the recesses 102 for accommodating a fork, knife, and spoon of the utensil holder 100 shown in FIGS. 1A-1C and the recesses 202 for accommodating a fork and knife shown in the utensil holder of FIG. 2.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are cross-sectional views of a utensil holder showing a cross section of a recess for holding a single fork placed horizontally within, in accordance with some embodiments. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4A, the handle portion of the recess has a bottom surface 402 located a first depth below to the top surface of the utensil holder. The head portion is shaped to accommodate a head of a fork, having a bottom surface 404 located a second depth below the top surface of the utensil holder that is greater than the first depth, and connected to the bottom surface 402 of the handle portion via a curved surface 406. In some embodiments, the curvature of the curved surface 406 is shaped based on a curvature of the back of the head of a fork. The head portion of the recess (comprising the bottom surface 404 and curved surface 406) is shaped such that when a fork is placed horizontally within the recess, a bottom portion of the fork's prongs contacts the bottom surface 404, but the tips of the prongs do not touch a surface of the head portion (see also FIG. 1C, showing a fork placed within a utensil holder). In addition, the second depth may be selected such that when a fork is placed horizontally within the recess, no portion of the fork rises above the top surface of the utensil holder, which facilitates stacking of multiple utensil holders during transport to and from tables.

FIG. 4B illustrates a cross-section of a recess for holding a single fork placed horizontally within, in accordance with another embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4B, the head portion of the recess has a bottom surface 408 that slopes upwards and shaped to accommodate a head of a fork placed horizontally within the recess. The bottom surface 408 may have a curvature based on a curvature of the prongs of a fork. In some embodiments, the curvature of the bottom surface 408 of the head portion is shaped such that when a fork is placed within the utensil holder, a bottom portion of the prongs contacts a surface of the head portion of the recess, but the tips of the prongs do not touch a surface of the head portion, and so that no portion of the fork rises above the top surface of the utensil holder.

FIG. 5 is cross-sectional view of a utensil holder showing a cross section of a recess for holding a single fork placed horizontally within, in accordance with some embodiments. The recess of the holder shown in FIG. 5 is substantially similar to the recess 102B for accommodating a knife of the utensil holder shown in FIGS. 1A-1C and the recess 202B of the utensil holder shown in FIG. 2. In some embodiments, a width and shape of the head portion of the recess may be configured to accommodate a shape of the head/blade of a knife. In some embodiments, the width of the head portion of the recess may the same as a width of the handle portion of the recess, as the width of the blade (e.g., distance from blade edge to spine) in many knives used for dining is not significantly different from the handle width. In some embodiments, such as that shown in FIG. 5, a bottom surface of head portion may be coplanar with the bottom surface of the handle portion. In other embodiments, the depth of the head portion may be greater than or less than that of the handle portion.

As shown in FIGS. 1A-1C, the head portion of a recess for holding a single spoon in a utensil may have an oval or oblong shape for accommodating the head of a spoon. In some embodiments, the head portion of the recess may have a depth that is the same as that of the handle portion, or a depth that is greater than that of the handle portion. In some embodiments, the head portion of the recess may have different regions having different depths, or a bottom surface that is sloped or curved. For example, FIGS. 6A-6B illustrate a perspective view and a side cross-section view of a utensil holder having a recess for accommodating a spoon, in accordance with some embodiments. As shown in FIGS. 6A-6B, the head portion of the recess has an oval or oblong shape configured to accommodate the head of a spoon. In some embodiments, the head portion of the recess comprises a first portion 602 of a first depth and a second portion 604 of a second depth. In some embodiments, the depth of the first portion 602 may be the same as that of the handle portion of the recess, while in other embodiments, the depth of the first portion 602 is greater than a depth of the handle portion. In some embodiments, the size and depth of the first portion 602 is configured such that when a spoon is placed with in the recess, the edges of the head of the spoon do not contact the utensil holder.

In some embodiments, the depth of the second portion 604 is greater than that of the first portion 602. The shape and depth of the second portion 604 is configured to accommodate the curvature of the head of a spoon placed within the recess. For example, in some embodiments, the size and depth of the second portion is selected such that a bottom of the spoon contacts (e.g., rests upon) a middle area of the second portion 604 when the spoon is placed within the recess. In other embodiments, the size and depth of the second portion is selected such that the head of a spoon placed within the recess contacts (e.g., rests upon) an edge of the second portion (e.g., an edge between the first and second portions) but not a bottom surface of the second portion. In some embodiments, the head portion of the recess may contain additional structural features, such as a ridge between the first and second portions that serves to reduce contact between the head of a spoon placed within the recess and surfaces of the utensil holder. In some embodiments, the shape and depth of the first and second portions are selected to allow the head portion to accommodate the heads of spoons of a variety of sizes, e.g., such that a bottom surface of the spoon, when placed within the utensil holder, rests on a bottom surface of the second portion 604 or on an edge of the second portion, while the edges of the spoon head do not rest upon the utensil holder.

In some embodiments, the bottom of the utensil holder may be hollowed, to reduce the weight of the utensil holder as well as to facilitate stacking of multiple utensil holders, allowing for easier storage and/or transport. FIG. 7A illustrates a perspective view showing a bottom of a utensil holder, in accordance with some embodiments. FIG. 7B illustrates a cross-sectional view of a utensil holder in accordance with some embodiments. The utensil holder 700 shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B is similar to the utensil holder 200 illustrated in FIG. 2. As shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, the body of the utensil holder 700 includes a lip 702 spaced inwards from a bottom surface 704 of the utensil holder by a first distance, and tapered side surfaces 706. The lip 702 and tapered side surfaces 706 allow for multiple utensil holders to be stacked on top of each other for easier storage and/or transport. Although FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate a particular utensil holder 700 for holding two utensils, it is understood that these features may also be found on other utensil holders with different configurations (such as those illustrated in FIGS. 1A-1C, 3A-3B, 4A-4B, 5, and 6A-6B).

Use of the utensil holder, such as those illustrated in the figures, may improve cleanliness as the utensils may be placed in the holder while minimizing contact with the head of the utensils. For example, the use of the utensil holder eliminates the need for someone to wrap utensils in paper/cloth napkins. This means less handling of not only the utensils, but also no unnecessary handling of napkins, making the dining experience more hygienic and perhaps safer. It also frees up manpower for other needs of hotels/restaurants and other establishments that may use this. In addition, when the meal is done, the utensil holder can be removed without having to touch the soiled utensils, whereupon the entire assembly may be placed in the dishwasher for cleaning.

In some embodiments, the utensil holder is made of a hard, dishwasher-safe material. In some embodiments, the utensil holder is made of a plastic material suitable for 3D printing, where the utensil holder is manufactured through the use of 3D printing. In other embodiments, the utensil holder is manufactured through injection molding. In other embodiments, the utensil holder may be made of other materials, such as wood or metal (e.g., stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper and other alloys). In some embodiments, the utensil holder may be made of a paper or cardboard material (e.g., biodegradable paper or cardboard), allowing for easy disposal after use. In some embodiments, the utensil holder may be made of other types of biodegradable/disposable materials.

Although the figures show example shapes of recesses for accommodating different types of utensils, it is understood that in some embodiments, the shapes of the recesses (including the handle portion and head portion) may be different to accommodate specific utensils of different sizes and shapes. In some embodiments, the recesses are shaped not to conform to an exact shape of a particular utensil, but are shaped to be able to accommodate a utensil of corresponding type as discussed above (e.g., for a recess corresponding to a fork, accommodating the fork such that the tips of the fork's prongs do not contact a surface of the utensil holder).

In some embodiments, the recesses of the utensil holder are sized to fit a range of different utensil sizes. In some embodiments, different sizes of utensil holders may be used based on specific needs of the user/customer/restaurant/hotel/dining establishment, etc. For example, in some embodiments, a utensil holder and its recesses may be sized and shaped to accommodate specific utensils used by a given dining establishment. Therefore, some utensil holders may hold a single utensil, two, three, or four utensils. For example, although the preceding figures illustrate utensil holders where each recess is shaped to accommodate a different type of utensil, in other embodiments, a utensil holder may include recesses shaped to accommodate a same type of utensils (e.g., two forks, such as a salad fork and a dessert fork). In some embodiments, a utensil holder may include recesses shaped to accommodate a same type of utensils, but having different dimensions (e.g., different widths and depths) to accommodate utensils of different sizes.

In some embodiments, the utensil holder may include a hole (e.g., a hole between the top and bottom surfaces of the utensil holder), increasing storage utility by allowing it to hang in a storage space. In some embodiments, the utensil holder may include two holes, one at each end, to allow the utensil holders to be stored in a stacked manner, e.g., on a stacking device that allows the holders to be slid through the holes, over metal/plastic vertical rods, attached to a flat plate at the bottom. This arrangement also allows for easy movement of stacks of utensil holders.

The foregoing description of the embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purpose of illustration; it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, but merely illustrates different examples. It should be appreciated that the scope of the disclosure includes other embodiments not discussed in detail above. Persons skilled in the relevant art can appreciate that many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above disclosure, without departing from the spirit and scope as defined in the appended claims. Therefore, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.

Finally, the language used in the specification has been principally selected for readability and instructional purposes, and it may not have been selected to delineate or circumscribe the inventive subject matter. It is therefore intended that the scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by any claims that issue on an application based hereon. Accordingly, the disclosure of the embodiments of the invention is intended to be illustrative, but not limiting, of the scope of the invention, which is set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. A device consisting of a portable utensil holder for providing a utensil setting for a single diner, the portable utensil holder having a set of one or more recesses, each shaped to accommodate a single dining utensil of a respective type placed horizontally within, where a first recess of the one or more recesses comprises an elongated handle portion having a first width and shaped to accommodate a handle of a dining utensil of a first type when placed horizontally within the first recess, a head portion having a second width greater than the first width and shaped to accommodate a head of the dining utensil of the first type when placed horizontally within the first recess, and at least one elongated drainage channel formed in a bottom surface of the handle portion of the first recess and extending into the head portion of the first recess; and a groove formed substantially orthogonal to the set of one or more recesses and shaped to facilitate finger access to the handle portion of the first recess.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the handle portion of the first recess has a first depth, and the head portion of the first recess has bottom surface having a second depth that is greater than the first depth and connected to the handle portion via a curved surface.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the head portion of the first recess includes a first portion having the first depth and a second portion having a second depth that is greater than the first depth.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the head portion of the first recess has an oblong or oval shape.

5. The device of claim 1, the head portion of the first recess has a depth that accommodates a head of the dining utensil of the first type when placed inside the recess in a horizontal position, such that the head of the dining utensil of the first type does not rise above a top surface of the utensil holder when placed within the first recess.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the utensil holder has a body that includes a top surface and a bottom surface connected by a plurality of tapered side surfaces.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the body of the utensil holder further comprises a lip spaced inward from the bottom surface by a first distance.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the set of one or more recesses further comprises a second recess comprising an elongated handle portion having the first width and shaped to accommodate a handle of a second dining utensil of a second type different from the first type when placed horizontally within the first recess, a head portion having a shape different from that of the head portion of the first recess, to accommodate a head of the second dining utensil when placed horizontally within the second recess; wherein the second recess is oriented parallel to the first recess and is separated from the first recess by a side wall.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one elongated drainage channel is formed at a center of a bottom surface of the elongated portion of the first recess.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the utensil holder is formed through 3D printing.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the utensil holder is formed through injection molding.