GB2328898A

GB2328898A - Cutlery

Info

Publication number: GB2328898A
Application number: GB9718948A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Shui Chung Lam
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-09-05
Filing date: 1997-09-05
Publication date: 1999-03-10
Also published as: GB9718948D0

Abstract

A cutlery implement (2) has an interchangeable handle of plastic (10) to which a metal operating or food-handling element (6) of the implement is connected through a mounting element (10), also of plastic, having a screw connection (26,30) with the handle and a permanent connection (14,18,20, Fig.3) with the operating or food-handling element. Different handles can be provided to provide a variety of decorative effect and the plastic-to-plastic releasable connection permits change of handle without undue wear of the screw thread connection. The implement may also have a decorative end piece 32.

Description

CUTLERY The present invention relates to cutlery implements such as knives, forks and spoons, for eating and serving food.

Conventionally, cutlery implements have a head portion in the form of a blade, prongs or a bowl or other operating or handling element, and an elongate handle extending from the head portion. The head portion and handle may be formed as a single piece, but it is also known to form the handle separately from the head portion, which makes it easier to provide variety.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a cutlery implement having a head portion comprising an operating or food-handling element at one end of an elongate handle, said element being releasably engaged with the handle at said one end. If desired, a terminal portion may be permanently or releasably attached to the opposite end of the handle.

According to another aspect of the invention, a cutlery implement is provided having a head portion comprising an operating or food-handling element and an elongate handle provided with attachment means at opposite ends for the operating or handling element and a terminal portion, respectively. In such an arrangement, preferably the handle is a tubular element with internal screw threads for the attachment of the head and terminal portions respectively.

According to a further aspect of the invention a cutlery implement is provided having a head portion comprising an operating or food-handling element and an elongate handle, the head portion including a mounting element to which the operating or handling element is secured, the mounting element being provided with means for engagement with one end of the handle.

With such an arrangement, it is possible to form a releasable engagement such as a screw connection between a metal food-handling element and a plastic handle, by providing the connection between a plastic mounting element and the handle. Conveniently, the operating or handling element comprises a tang located in an opening in the adaptor piece to secure it thereto.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a front view of a cutlery implement according to the present invention, showing the head portion and end piece attached to the handle; Fig. 2 is a partly sectional side view of the implement of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a detail illustration showing the attachment of the operating or food-handling element of the implement to an adaptor piece, Figs. 4a-d are side, sectional and opposite end views respectively of the handling element of the implement of Figs. 1-3; Figs. 5a-d are side, sectional and opposite end views of the mounting element of the implement of Figs. 13; and Figs. 6a-c are side and opposite end views of the terminal knob of the implement of Figs. 1-3.

Fig. 1 shows an implement in the form of a spoon 2, having a head portion 4 comprising a metal handling element 6 providing the bowl 8 of the spoon and a plastic mounting element 10 by which the head portion is attached to handle 12.

The handling element 6 is secured to the mounting element by a tang 14 projecting integrally from a neck 16 of the head portion into an opening 18 in the mounting element. If desired, a pin 20 may be passed through the mounting element and tang 14 to secure them together, or the mounting element may be moulded onto the tang. The mounting element also has a slot 22 in its knobbed end 24 in which the neck 16 of the handling element is inserted.

The handle 12 of the implement comprises a tapered tubular member with internal screw threads 26,28 at opposite ends. The mounting element has a screw thread portion 30 which is engaged with the internal threads 26.

At the other end of the tubular member, the handle is completed by a decorative terminal knob 32 of plastic having a threaded portion 34 engaging the screw thread 28 at that end.

Figs. 4-6 show separately, parts of the implement of Figs. 1-3 in more detail. The parts already described are indicated by the same reference numbers.

If desired, the terminal knob 32 can have a twopart construction, similarly to the head portion 6, to allow greater freedom of choice for the decoration of the handle. When assembling the implement, the screw thread connections can be made in a permanent manner, or they can be arranged to be releasable by the user to allow parts of the implement to be changed. For example, the implement may be provided with a plurality of handles of different colour and/or pattern to be used alternatively, perhaps without any separate terminal member at the end remote from the handling element.

The arrangement is particularly useful in allowing metal handling elements, whether knife blades, fork prongs or spoon bowls, to be employed with interchangeable plastic handles. Although from the point of view of the user, metal handling elements are generally preferred for a number of reasons, a screw-threaded attachment between such an element and a plastic handle will rapidly wear. By employing a plastic mounting element, which may be given a metallic coating, to make the screw connection with the handle, this problem is avoided.

It is to be understood that the present invention has been described by way of example only with reference to a specific exemplary embodiment. It will also be understood how the invention is applicable to a wide variety of cutlery types. Many variations and embodiments are possible within the scope of the invention, as will be readily apparent to persons skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A cutlery implement having a head portion comprising an operating or food-handling element at one end of an elongate handle, said element having a releasable engagement with the handle at said one end.

2. A cutlery implement having a head portion comprising an operating or food-handling element and an elongate handle, the head portion including a mounting element to which the operating or handling element is secured, the mounting element being provided with means for engagement with said one end of the handle.

3. An implement according to claim 2 wherein the head portion is of metal and the handle and mounting element are both of plastic, the mounting element being permanently connected to said element and releasably connected to the handle.

4. An implement according to claim 3 wherein the mounting has an opening receiving a part of the head portion for permanent connection thereto.

5. An implement according to claim 4 wherein said part of the head portion extends into the mounting element beyond the releasable connection of the mounting element with the handle.

6. An implement according to any one of claims 2 to 5 wherein the mounting element is moulded onto the head portion.

7. An implement according to any one of the preceding claims wherein a separate terminal element is mounted on an opposite end of the handle to said head portion.

8. An implement according to claim 7 wherein the handle is a tubular element with internal screw threads for connection of the head portion and the terminal element.

9. A cutlery implement having a head portion comprising an operating or food-handling element and an elongate handle provided with attachment means at opposite ends for the operating or handling element and a terminal portion, respectively.

10. An implement according to claim 9 wherein the handle is a tubular element with internal screw threads for attachment of the head and terminal portions respectively.

12. A cutlery implement constructed and arranged for use substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.