US20090091146A1

US20090091146A1 - Chopsticks

Info

Publication number: US20090091146A1
Application number: US11/868,680
Authority: US
Inventors: Ming-Huang Liu
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-10-08
Filing date: 2007-10-08
Publication date: 2009-04-09

Abstract

The present invention provides an improved structure of chopsticks, which can address the shortcomings of typical chopsticks. The lateral portion of the clamping end of the chopstick body has a recessed groove, which is arranged along the extension of the clamping end. One end of the recessed groove passes through the flange of the clamping end. The lateral portion of the clamping end increases contact area and improves the friction effect for improved gripping stability. The area of the flange of the clamping end decreases, enabling users to insert chopsticks A more easily into food and guaranteeing ease-of-operation with better applicability.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED U.S. APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

NAMES OF PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not applicable.

REFERENCE TO AN APPENDIX SUBMITTED ON COMPACT DISC

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an improved structure of chopsticks, and more particularly to innovative chopsticks.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98
Chopsticks are an indispensable tool that is widely used in the everyday life of Chinese people, such as: serving rice, noodles and vegetables, or even slippery food, e.g. spiced eggs, rolled meat, sausage and maize, etc.
As chopsticks are typically designed with columnar ends (circular or angle columns) to avoid personal injury, the narrow and slippery contact surface of two chopsticks often makes it difficult to firmly grip food. Moreover, when users intend to insert the ends of chopsticks into spiced eggs and rolled meat, it would be embarrassing to have food slip or roll away due to the shortcomings of typical chopsticks in certain aspects.
Thus, to overcome the aforementioned problems of the prior art, it would be an advancement in the art to provide an improved structure that can significantly improve efficacy.
Therefore, the inventor has provided the present invention of practicability after deliberate design and evaluation based on years of experience in the production, development and design of related products.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The enhanced efficacy of the present invention is the lateral portion 21 of the clamping end 20 having a recessed groove 30. The recessed groove 30 is arranged along the extension of the clamping end 20, as shown in FIG. 2. One end of the recessed groove 30 passes through the flange 22 of the clamping end 20, allowing the lateral portion 21 of clamping end 20 to increase the contact area and to improve the friction effect for improved gripping stability without slipping. Furthermore, the area of the flange 22 of clamping end 20 could be decreased, enabling users to insert chopsticks A more easily into food (e.g. spiced eggs, rolled meat), and guaranteeing ease-of-operation with better applicability.
Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a partially enlarged perspective view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of recessed groove of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the application of the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective and sectional view of the application of the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of the configuration of the recessed groove of the present invention.

FIG. 7 shows another perspective view of the configuration of the recessed groove of the present invention.

FIG. 8 shows perspective views of recessed grooves of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The features and the advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood upon a thoughtful deliberation of the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIGS. 1-5 depict preferred embodiments of improved chopsticks structure of the present invention. The embodiments are provided only for explanatory purposes. The scope of the invention is set by the patent claims.
Said chopsticks A of columnar shape of predefined length form a gripping end 10 and a clamping end 20. The clamping end 20 contains a lateral portion 21 and flange 22. The lateral portion 21 of the clamping end 20 is provided with a recessed groove 30, which is arranged along the extension of the clamping end 20. The recessed groove 30 may pass through the flange 22 along one end of the clamping end 20, as shown in FIG. 2, or the recessed groove 30 is arranged at a preset location of the lateral portion 21, as shown in FIG. 7. Referring to FIG. 3, the recessed groove 30 is available with 1-3 or more patterns.
The recessed groove 30 has V-shaped, circular and zigzag profiles, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6. An antiskid slot 23 is assembled onto the lateral portion 21 of said clamping end 20.
Said recessed groove 30 could be extended in straight, oblique or winding shapes, as shown in FIG. 8.
Based upon above-specified structures, the present invention is operable.
Referring to FIGS. 2-4, the flange 22 of chopsticks A have a recessed groove 30, so when the chopsticks A are used to grip vegetables or meat, the gripping state between the flanges 22 of the chopsticks A allows the object 40 to be partially squeezed into the recessed groove 30. Moreover, the lateral portion 21 of the chopsticks A has an antiskid slot 23, so that the object 40 partially contacts the antiskid slot 23 with better contact and friction effect.
Referring to FIG. 5, when said chopsticks A are used to penetrate into spiced eggs, rolled meat, sausage and maize, etc, the recessed groove 30 on the flange 22 of chopsticks A allows the object 40B to be partially squeezed into it, preventing any slippage of food with the help of antiskid slot 23 on the lateral portion 21.

Claims

1-5. (canceled)

6. An article comprising:

a chopstick having a columnar shape and a length and an outer surface, said chopstick having a gripping end and a clamping end, said clamping end having a flat end surface opposite said gripping end, said chopstick having a longitudinal axis, said clamping portion having a recessed groove opening at said flat end surface, said recessed groove tapering so as to have a width dimension at said flat end surface that is greater than a width dimension away from said flat end surface, said recessed groove having a greater width at said outer surface than a width inwardly thereof, said recessed groove extending in generally parallel relation to said longitudinal axis.

7. The article of claim 6, said clamping end having a plurality of circumferential slots extending therearound.