US3911578A - Spoon constructions - Google Patents

Spoon constructions Download PDF

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US3911578A
US3911578A US439784A US43978474A US3911578A US 3911578 A US3911578 A US 3911578A US 439784 A US439784 A US 439784A US 43978474 A US43978474 A US 43978474A US 3911578 A US3911578 A US 3911578A
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Prior art keywords
bowl
handle
cover member
spoon
rim
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US439784A
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Meyer Ushkow
David Elliott Ushkow
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    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61J—CONTAINERS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR MEDICAL OR PHARMACEUTICAL PURPOSES; DEVICES OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR BRINGING PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS INTO PARTICULAR PHYSICAL OR ADMINISTERING FORMS; DEVICES FOR ADMINISTERING FOOD OR MEDICINES ORALLY; BABY COMFORTERS; DEVICES FOR RECEIVING SPITTLE
    • A61J7/00—Devices for administering medicines orally, e.g. spoons; Pill counting devices; Arrangements for time indication or reminder for taking medicine
    • A61J7/0015—Devices specially adapted for taking medicines
    • A61J7/0023—Spoons
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47G—HOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT
    • A47G21/00—Table-ware
    • A47G21/004—Table-ware comprising food additives to be used with foodstuff
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61J—CONTAINERS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR MEDICAL OR PHARMACEUTICAL PURPOSES; DEVICES OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR BRINGING PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS INTO PARTICULAR PHYSICAL OR ADMINISTERING FORMS; DEVICES FOR ADMINISTERING FOOD OR MEDICINES ORALLY; BABY COMFORTERS; DEVICES FOR RECEIVING SPITTLE
    • A61J7/00—Devices for administering medicines orally, e.g. spoons; Pill counting devices; Arrangements for time indication or reminder for taking medicine
    • A61J7/0015—Devices specially adapted for taking medicines
    • A61J7/0046—Cups, bottles or bags
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D77/00—Packages formed by enclosing articles or materials in preformed containers, e.g. boxes, cartons, sacks or bags
    • B65D77/10—Container closures formed after filling
    • B65D77/20—Container closures formed after filling by applying separate lids or covers, i.e. flexible membrane or foil-like covers
    • B65D77/2024—Container closures formed after filling by applying separate lids or covers, i.e. flexible membrane or foil-like covers the cover being welded or adhered to the container
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10S215/00—Bottles and jars
    • Y10S215/05—Spoons

Definitions

  • This invention relates specifically to spoons adapted for the marketing of measured amounts of liquid and powder materials. More particularly, it is directed to spoons adapted to store and dispense accurately measured amounts of such materials, as for example, medicants. During the storage mode, such spoons would retain the material in a sealed sterilized environment, the spoons being readily adapted for storage, vending from machines, and use as a means for dispensing the material.
  • the dispensing liquid and powdered medicants has posed a substantial problem in the art. While many medicants are disposed in solid forms, such as pills, tablets or capsules, there are many persons, such as the very young and the aged, who are unable to take such solid medicants. Further, there are many medicants which can only be dispensed in liquid or powdered form. In such cases, the medicine is generally dispensed in bottles containing bulk quantities and must be closed out be the spoonful, as prescribed. However, it must be borne in mind that a physician considers a teaspoon to be cc, counting 30 cc to the ounce. Since there is no volumetric standard for a household spoon, and since such household spoons are the general vehicle for dispensing liquid medicants, accurate dispensing of liquid and powdered medicants in the home become nearly impossible.
  • Afurtherfactor is that the transferring of bulk quantities of medicants to individual dosage quantities requires the expenditure of time, which, in the case of hospital employees, could be better utilized elsewhere. For this reason, a spoon construction adapted to store and dispense unit dosages of liquid and powdered medicants would result in substantial increases in efficiency and cost savings in hospitals where such devices were utilized.
  • a spoon construction having a bowl portion dimensioned for at least partial receipt in a user's mouth and to receive an accurately measured amount of a liquid or powder, said bowl portion being formed with an upstanding peripheral rim.
  • a cover member dimensioned to encompass said bowl portion rim is provided for retaining said liquid within said bowl portion and means are provided for releasably engaging said cover member and bowl portion.
  • Said spoon construction may be formed with an elongated handle member for removable engagement with a handle-receiving portion projecting laterally from said bowl portion.
  • the bowl portion may be provided with a top wall portion partially enclosing a portion of the region defined by said upstanding peripheral rim and formed integral therewith to define a cove within said bowl member for retaining said liquid therein.
  • said bowl may be formed with a longitudinally extending wall extending between two spaced points on said rim and dividing the bowl into two compartments, said cover member engaging against the upper surface of said longitudinally extending wall to isolate the two compartments.
  • an object of the invention is to provide spoon construction permitting the storage and dispensing of unit quantities of liquids or powders.
  • FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the spoon construction according to the invention with portions broken away;
  • FIG. 2 is a partial view taken along lines 22 of FIG.
  • FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 2;
  • FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a second embodiment of the spoon construction according to the invention.
  • FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view taken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 4;
  • FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of a third embodiment of the spoon construction according to the invention.
  • FIG. 7 is a top plan view of a fourth embodiment of a spoon construction according to the invention.
  • FIG. 8 is a partial sectional view taken along lines 88 of FIG. 7;
  • FIG. 9 is an exploded top plan view of a fifth embodiment of the spoon construction according to the invention with portions broken away;
  • FIG. 10 is a partial view taken along lines 10-10 of FIG. 9.
  • FIG. 11 is a partial sectional view of a sixth spoon construction embodiment according to the invention.
  • FIGS. l-3 a first embodiment of the spoon construction according to the invention is depicted consisting of a bowl member 10 and a handle member 16.
  • the bowl member consists of an upstanding peripheral wall having a transverse wall 12 partially covering a portion of the bowl to define a cove 14.
  • the bowl member 10 is formed with a projecting handle engaging portion 22 which projects from a point on the bowl member below the peripheral rim 18 thereof.
  • handle 16 may be formed integral with handle engaging portion 22, in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-3, the handle portion 20 of handle member 16 is provided with a longitudinally extending tongue 26 formed with longitudinally extending ribs 27.
  • handle engaging portion 22 is formed with a slot 24 having longitudinally extending grooves 29 for receiving said tongue and ribs for releasably retaining the handle and bowl members together. It is apparent that the handle engaging portion 22 of spoon member 10 could be provided with the tongue and/or the ribs if desired for mating with a slot and/or grooves on the handle member 16.
  • a single handle member may be provided with a plurality of bowl members, the handle being reusable while each bowl member is discarded after use. Further, if desired, the bowl members may be provided with integral handles.
  • the spoon member When filled with a desired quantity of liquid or powder, the spoon member may be sealed by a suitable cover member, such as plastic sheet 28, a suitable adhesive 34 being provided for maintaining the engagement between the cover and the peripheral rim 18 of the bowl member.
  • a suitable cover member such as plastic sheet 28
  • a suitable adhesive 34 being provided for maintaining the engagement between the cover and the peripheral rim 18 of the bowl member.
  • said cover may be provided with a projecting flange 34 for grasping.
  • the cover may be formed of any desired material, transparent plastic being preferred.
  • the cove 14 defined by transverse wall 12 provides a useful cavity which retains the contents within the bowl during the stripping of the cover therefrom.
  • FIGS. 4 and 5 A modified embodiment of the spoon construction according to the invention is depicted in FIGS. 4 and 5, wherein a snap-fit interengagement is provided between the cover 58 and the periphery 48 of bowl member 40.
  • the spoon construction is provided with a removable handle member 46 consisting of a handle 50 having a projecting tongue 56 for cooperation with a slot 54 in a handle engaging portion 52 of said bowl member.
  • a cove 44- is defined by a transverse wall 42.
  • the peripheral rim 48 of bowl member 40 is formed with an upstanding circumferential bead 62 for mating with a corresponding circumferential groove 64 in cover 58.
  • the projecting edge 66 of the cover provides means for grasping said cover for stripping from the bowl.
  • FIG. 6 Still another alternate embodiment is depicted in FIG. 6, wherein the peripheral rim of the bowl member is formed with a channel 70 for receiving a projecting circumferential bead 72 formed on the cover member.
  • FIG. 11 Still another embodiment is depicted in FIG. 11, wherein the upstanding rim 74 of bowl member 76 projects upwardly a predetermined distance above the desired liquid or powder level, cover 78 being provided with a channel 80 for receiving the upstanding peripheral rim 74.
  • a radial extending flange 82 is provided for permitting removal of the cover.
  • the spoon construction 86 depicted is formed with an integral handle 88 projecting from a bowl portion 90 having a cover 92 secured thereto as described in FIG. 1.
  • the embodiment of FIGS. 7 and 8 does not include the transverse wall and cove of the embodiments of FIGS. 1-6.
  • a spring finger 94 is formed integrally with handle 88 which projects into the region below a portion of cover 92.
  • Spring finger 94 is fixed at one end 98 thereof to handle 88, the other end 100 thereof being free for pivotable displacement and being in registration with cover 92.
  • FIGS. 9 and 10 A further embodiment of the spoon construction according to the invention incorporating a similar device for starting the removal of the cover is depicted in FIGS. 9 and 10.
  • the separate handle member 102 is formed with a projecting tongue 104.
  • a longitudinally extending rib 106 is formed on the upper surface of tongue 104, the end of said rib being formed with an upwardly projecting finger 108 having a curved leading edge 110.
  • Bowl member 112 is formed with a projecting handle engaging portion 114 having a lateraly extending slot 116 dimensioned to receive tongue 104 and a longitudinally extending slot 118 dimensioned to receive rib 106 and finger 108.
  • the finger 108 When handle member 102 is fully engaged in the handle engaging portion 1 14 of bowl member 112, the finger 108 displaces the end of cover 120 to expose said end to permit the removal of said cover.
  • the curved leading edge of finger 108 insures that cover l20 is displaced upwardly, rather than being merely bent or otherwise distorted.
  • FIGS. 9 and 10 is also provided with a longitudinally extending vertical wall 122 dividing the bowl into two compartments 124 and 126.
  • Cover is divided into two separate portions 128 and respectively covering compartments 126 and 124 so that the two compartments may be separately exposed for the separate dispensing of the contents of each compartment.
  • Each of the covers 128 and 130 engages the upstanding peripheral wall of the bowl as well as the top edge of vertical wall 122.
  • the foregoing embodiments permit the storage and dispensing of liquid and powdered materials in a spoon construction which minimizes handling of said materials as well as insuring dispensing of uniform quantities thereof. Further, the spoon construction can be sterilized after closure.
  • a spoon construction comprising a spoon member having a bowl portion dimensioned to receive an accurately measured amount of liquid or powder and formed with an upstanding peripheral rim and a handle portion projecting from said bowl portion for manipulation of said spoon member; a cover member dimensioned to encompass said bowl portion rim for retaining said liquid or powder within said bowl portion; means for removably securing said cover member to said bowl portion rim; and cover releasing means on said spoon member having a free end for selective displacement to a position at which a peripheral portion of said cover member is engaged by said free end to release only a portion of said cover member from said bowl portion rim to define a tab formed by said released cover member portion which can be manually manipulated to thereby effect removal of said cover member.
  • said snap-fit interengagement means includes a perimetric groove formed in said bowl portion rim, said cover member being formed with a correspondingly dimensioned bead for snap-fit interengagement with said groove.
  • said snap-fit interengagement means includes said bowl portion rim being formed with a perimetrically folded-over portion, said cover being formed with a groove dimensioned for snap-fit interengagement with said perimetrically folded-over rim portion.
  • said bowl and handle portions of said spoon member are formed of separate members, said bowl member being formed with a handle-receiving portion projecting laterally from said bowl member; and including handle interengagement means on said bowl member handle-receiving portion and said handle member for the releasable engagement of said bowl and handle members, said cover releasing means including a longitudinally extending slot in the upper surface of said handle-receiving portion extending from the end thereof to below a portion of said cover member, said handle member being formed with a rib on the upper surface thereof dimensioned for receipt in said slot and for displacing said portion of said cover member from said peripheral rim when said handle member is joined to said bowl member.
  • said cover-releasing means includes spring finger means formed in said handle portion and having a free end in registration with a portion of said cover member for freeing said cover member portion from said bowl portion peripheral rim when engaged thereagainst to define a tab for grasping to permit removal of said cover member from said bowl portion.
  • a spoon construction comprising a bowl member having a bowl portion dimensioned to receive an accurately measured amount of liquid or powder and formed with an upstanding peripheral rim and a handle receiving portion projecting from said bowl portion; a handle member for manipulation of said spoon member; handle interengagement means on said bowl member handle-receiving portion and said handle member for the releasable engagement of said bowl and handle members, a cover member dimensioned to encompass said bowl portion rim for retaining said liquid or powder within said bowl portion; and means for removably securing said cover member to said bowl portion rim, said handle-receiving portion including a longitudinally extending slot in the upper surface thereof extending from the end thereof to below a portion of said cover member, said handle member being formed with a rib on the upper surface thereof dimensioned for receipt in said slot and for displacing said portion of said cover member from said peripheral rim when said handle member is joined to said bowl member.
  • a spoon construction comprising a spoon member having a bowl portion dimensioned to receive an accurately measured amount of liquid or powder and formed with an upstanding peripheral rim and a handle portion projecting from said bowl portion for manipulation of said spoon member; a cover member dimensioned to encompass said bowl portion rim for retaining said liquid or powder within said bowl portion; spring finger means formed in said handle portion and having a free end in registration with a portion of said cover member for freeing only a portion of said cover member from said bowl portion peripheral rim when engaged thereagainst to define a tab for grasping to permit removal of said cover member from said bowl portion by the manual manipulation of said freed cover member portion; and means for removably securing said cover member to said bowl portion rim.

Abstract

A spoon construction is provided for the storage and dispensing of unit quantities of liquids or powders, such as medicants. The liquid or powder is received within a bowl portion, the bowl portion being sealed by a cover-piece removably affixed to the bowl. The spoon construction may be provided with a separate handle member adapted for removable engagement with the bowl member.

Description

United States Patent [191 Ushkow et al.
[111 3,911,578 [451 Oct. 14, 1975 1 SPOON CONSTRUCTIONS [76] Inventors: Meyer Ushkow; David Elliott Ushkow, both of 75-04 196th Place, Flushing, NY. 11366 22 Filed: Feb. 5, 1974- 21 Appl. No.: 439,784
Related US. Application Data [60] Division of Ser. No. 251,989, May 10, 1972, abandoned, which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 852,287, Aug. 22, 1969, Pat. No. 3,662,463, which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 793,522, Jan. 23, 1969, abandoned.
[52] US. Cl 30/326; 2l5/DIG. 5 [51] Int. Cl. A47J 43/28; GOIG 19/56 [58] Field of Search 30/326; 215/D1G. 5;
220/DIG. 14
[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Fitzgerald 30/326 1,474,443 11/ 1923 Rhyne 30/326 1,708,456 4/1929 Tunick 30/326 3,287,806 ll/1966 Keller-man 30/326 Primary Examiner-A1 Lawrence Smith Assistant Exa'm'iner.l. C. Peters Attorney, Agent, or FirmBlum Moscovitz Friedman & Kaplan [57] ABSTRACT A spoon construction is provided for the storage and dispensing of unit quantities of liquids or powders, such as medicants. The liquid or powder is received within a bowl portion, the bowl portion being sealed by a cover-piece removably affixed to the bowl. The spoon construction may be provided with a separate handle member adapted for removable engagement with the bowl member.
11 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures US. Patent Oct. 14, 1975 Sheet 1 of 2 3,911,578
FIG. 3
SPOON CONSTRUCTIONS This is a divisional application of our co-pending application Ser. No. 251,989, filed May 10, 1972, now abandoned, which was a continuation-in-part application of our application Ser. No. 852,287, filed Aug. 22, 1969, now US. Pat. No. 3,662,463 which in turn was a continuation-in-part of our application Ser. No. 793,522, filed Jan. 23, 1969, now abandoned.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates specifically to spoons adapted for the marketing of measured amounts of liquid and powder materials. More particularly, it is directed to spoons adapted to store and dispense accurately measured amounts of such materials, as for example, medicants. During the storage mode, such spoons would retain the material in a sealed sterilized environment, the spoons being readily adapted for storage, vending from machines, and use as a means for dispensing the material.
The dispensing liquid and powdered medicants has posed a substantial problem in the art. While many medicants are disposed in solid forms, such as pills, tablets or capsules, there are many persons, such as the very young and the aged, who are unable to take such solid medicants. Further, there are many medicants which can only be dispensed in liquid or powdered form. In such cases, the medicine is generally dispensed in bottles containing bulk quantities and must be closed out be the spoonful, as prescribed. However, it must be borne in mind that a physician considers a teaspoon to be cc, counting 30 cc to the ounce. Since there is no volumetric standard for a household spoon, and since such household spoons are the general vehicle for dispensing liquid medicants, accurate dispensing of liquid and powdered medicants in the home become nearly impossible.
Afurtherfactor is that the transferring of bulk quantities of medicants to individual dosage quantities requires the expenditure of time, which, in the case of hospital employees, could be better utilized elsewhere. For this reason, a spoon construction adapted to store and dispense unit dosages of liquid and powdered medicants would result in substantial increases in efficiency and cost savings in hospitals where such devices were utilized.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Generally speaking, in accordance with the invention, a spoon construction is provided having a bowl portion dimensioned for at least partial receipt in a user's mouth and to receive an accurately measured amount of a liquid or powder, said bowl portion being formed with an upstanding peripheral rim. A cover member dimensioned to encompass said bowl portion rim is provided for retaining said liquid within said bowl portion and means are provided for releasably engaging said cover member and bowl portion.
Said spoon construction may be formed with an elongated handle member for removable engagement with a handle-receiving portion projecting laterally from said bowl portion.
The bowl portion may be provided with a top wall portion partially enclosing a portion of the region defined by said upstanding peripheral rim and formed integral therewith to define a cove within said bowl member for retaining said liquid therein. Further, said bowl may be formed with a longitudinally extending wall extending between two spaced points on said rim and dividing the bowl into two compartments, said cover member engaging against the upper surface of said longitudinally extending wall to isolate the two compartments.
Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide spoon construction permitting the storage and dispensing of unit quantities of liquids or powders.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a fuller understanding of the invention, reference is had to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the spoon construction according to the invention with portions broken away;
FIG. 2 is a partial view taken along lines 22 of FIG.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a second embodiment of the spoon construction according to the invention;
FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view taken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of a third embodiment of the spoon construction according to the invention;
FIG. 7 is a top plan view of a fourth embodiment of a spoon construction according to the invention;
FIG. 8 is a partial sectional view taken along lines 88 of FIG. 7;
FIG. 9 is an exploded top plan view of a fifth embodiment of the spoon construction according to the invention with portions broken away;
FIG. 10 is a partial view taken along lines 10-10 of FIG. 9; and
FIG. 11 is a partial sectional view of a sixth spoon construction embodiment according to the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to FIGS. l-3, a first embodiment of the spoon construction according to the invention is depicted consisting of a bowl member 10 and a handle member 16. The bowl member consists of an upstanding peripheral wall having a transverse wall 12 partially covering a portion of the bowl to define a cove 14. The bowl member 10 is formed with a projecting handle engaging portion 22 which projects from a point on the bowl member below the peripheral rim 18 thereof. While handle 16 may be formed integral with handle engaging portion 22, in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-3, the handle portion 20 of handle member 16 is provided with a longitudinally extending tongue 26 formed with longitudinally extending ribs 27. The end of handle engaging portion 22 is formed with a slot 24 having longitudinally extending grooves 29 for receiving said tongue and ribs for releasably retaining the handle and bowl members together. It is apparent that the handle engaging portion 22 of spoon member 10 could be provided with the tongue and/or the ribs if desired for mating with a slot and/or grooves on the handle member 16.
By providing a removable handle member, a single handle member may be provided with a plurality of bowl members, the handle being reusable while each bowl member is discarded after use. Further, if desired, the bowl members may be provided with integral handles.
When filled with a desired quantity of liquid or powder, the spoon member may be sealed by a suitable cover member, such as plastic sheet 28, a suitable adhesive 34 being provided for maintaining the engagement between the cover and the peripheral rim 18 of the bowl member. For convenience in removal or stripping of cover 28 from the bowl, said cover may be provided with a projecting flange 34 for grasping. The cover may be formed of any desired material, transparent plastic being preferred.
The cove 14 defined by transverse wall 12 provides a useful cavity which retains the contents within the bowl during the stripping of the cover therefrom.
A modified embodiment of the spoon construction according to the invention is depicted in FIGS. 4 and 5, wherein a snap-fit interengagement is provided between the cover 58 and the periphery 48 of bowl member 40. As in the case of the embodiment of FIGS. l-3, the spoon construction is provided with a removable handle member 46 consisting of a handle 50 having a projecting tongue 56 for cooperation with a slot 54 in a handle engaging portion 52 of said bowl member. A cove 44- is defined by a transverse wall 42. The peripheral rim 48 of bowl member 40 is formed with an upstanding circumferential bead 62 for mating with a corresponding circumferential groove 64 in cover 58. The projecting edge 66 of the cover provides means for grasping said cover for stripping from the bowl.
Still another alternate embodiment is depicted in FIG. 6, wherein the peripheral rim of the bowl member is formed with a channel 70 for receiving a projecting circumferential bead 72 formed on the cover member. Still another embodiment is depicted in FIG. 11, wherein the upstanding rim 74 of bowl member 76 projects upwardly a predetermined distance above the desired liquid or powder level, cover 78 being provided with a channel 80 for receiving the upstanding peripheral rim 74. As in the earlier embodiments, a radial extending flange 82 is provided for permitting removal of the cover.
Referring now to the embodiment of FIGS. 7 and 8, the spoon construction 86 depicted is formed with an integral handle 88 projecting from a bowl portion 90 having a cover 92 secured thereto as described in FIG. 1. The embodiment of FIGS. 7 and 8 does not include the transverse wall and cove of the embodiments of FIGS. 1-6. Also formed integrally with handle 88 is a spring finger 94 positioned in an aperture 96 which projects into the region below a portion of cover 92. Spring finger 94 is fixed at one end 98 thereof to handle 88, the other end 100 thereof being free for pivotable displacement and being in registration with cover 92. By manually displacing spring finger 94 in the upward direction, end 100 thereof engages cover 92 to start the release thereof from bowl 90 to permit the rapid removal of the cover without rist of spilling the contents of the spoon construction.
A further embodiment of the spoon construction according to the invention incorporating a similar device for starting the removal of the cover is depicted in FIGS. 9 and 10. In said arrangement, the separate handle member 102 is formed with a projecting tongue 104. A longitudinally extending rib 106 is formed on the upper surface of tongue 104, the end of said rib being formed with an upwardly projecting finger 108 having a curved leading edge 110. Bowl member 112 is formed with a projecting handle engaging portion 114 having a lateraly extending slot 116 dimensioned to receive tongue 104 and a longitudinally extending slot 118 dimensioned to receive rib 106 and finger 108. When handle member 102 is fully engaged in the handle engaging portion 1 14 of bowl member 112, the finger 108 displaces the end of cover 120 to expose said end to permit the removal of said cover. The curved leading edge of finger 108 insures that cover l20 is displaced upwardly, rather than being merely bent or otherwise distorted.
The embodiment of FIGS. 9 and 10 is also provided with a longitudinally extending vertical wall 122 dividing the bowl into two compartments 124 and 126. Cover is divided into two separate portions 128 and respectively covering compartments 126 and 124 so that the two compartments may be separately exposed for the separate dispensing of the contents of each compartment. Each of the covers 128 and 130 engages the upstanding peripheral wall of the bowl as well as the top edge of vertical wall 122.
The foregoing embodiments permit the storage and dispensing of liquid and powdered materials in a spoon construction which minimizes handling of said materials as well as insuring dispensing of uniform quantities thereof. Further, the spoon construction can be sterilized after closure.
What is claimed is:
l. A spoon construction comprising a spoon member having a bowl portion dimensioned to receive an accurately measured amount of liquid or powder and formed with an upstanding peripheral rim and a handle portion projecting from said bowl portion for manipulation of said spoon member; a cover member dimensioned to encompass said bowl portion rim for retaining said liquid or powder within said bowl portion; means for removably securing said cover member to said bowl portion rim; and cover releasing means on said spoon member having a free end for selective displacement to a position at which a peripheral portion of said cover member is engaged by said free end to release only a portion of said cover member from said bowl portion rim to define a tab formed by said released cover member portion which can be manually manipulated to thereby effect removal of said cover member.
- 2. A spoon construction as recited in claim 1, said bowl portion being formed with a top wall portion partially enclosing a portion of the region defined by said upstanding peripheral rim and formed integral therewith to define a cove within said bowl portion for retaining said liquid therein; said top wall portion and cover releasing means being positioned on the side of said bowl portion in registration with said handle por tion.
3. A spoon construction as recited in claim 1, wherein said means for removably connecting said cover member and said bowl portion includes an adhesive.
4. A spoon construction as recited in claim 1, wherein said handle portion projects from said bowl portion at a point on said bowl portion below said rim, said means for removably connecting said cover member and said bowl portion including snap-fit interengagement means on said bowl portion rim and said cover member, a first portion of said interengagement means being disposed on one of said bowl portion and cover member and adapted for penetration into and engagement by a second portion of said interengagement means disposed on the other of said bowl portion and cover member.
5. A spoon construction as recited in claim 4, wherein said snap-fit interengagement means includes a perimetric bead in said bowl portion rim and a correspondingly positioned groove in said cover member for snap-fit interengagement with said bead.
6. A spoon construction as recited in claim 4, wherein said snap-fit interengagement means includes a perimetric groove formed in said bowl portion rim, said cover member being formed with a correspondingly dimensioned bead for snap-fit interengagement with said groove.
7. A spoon construction as recited in claim 4, wherein said snap-fit interengagement means includes said bowl portion rim being formed with a perimetrically folded-over portion, said cover being formed with a groove dimensioned for snap-fit interengagement with said perimetrically folded-over rim portion.
8. A spoon construction as recited in claim 1, wherein said bowl and handle portions of said spoon member are formed of separate members, said bowl member being formed with a handle-receiving portion projecting laterally from said bowl member; and including handle interengagement means on said bowl member handle-receiving portion and said handle member for the releasable engagement of said bowl and handle members, said cover releasing means including a longitudinally extending slot in the upper surface of said handle-receiving portion extending from the end thereof to below a portion of said cover member, said handle member being formed with a rib on the upper surface thereof dimensioned for receipt in said slot and for displacing said portion of said cover member from said peripheral rim when said handle member is joined to said bowl member.
9. A spoon construction as recited in claim 1, wherein said cover-releasing means includes spring finger means formed in said handle portion and having a free end in registration with a portion of said cover member for freeing said cover member portion from said bowl portion peripheral rim when engaged thereagainst to define a tab for grasping to permit removal of said cover member from said bowl portion.
10. A spoon construction comprising a bowl member having a bowl portion dimensioned to receive an accurately measured amount of liquid or powder and formed with an upstanding peripheral rim and a handle receiving portion projecting from said bowl portion; a handle member for manipulation of said spoon member; handle interengagement means on said bowl member handle-receiving portion and said handle member for the releasable engagement of said bowl and handle members, a cover member dimensioned to encompass said bowl portion rim for retaining said liquid or powder within said bowl portion; and means for removably securing said cover member to said bowl portion rim, said handle-receiving portion including a longitudinally extending slot in the upper surface thereof extending from the end thereof to below a portion of said cover member, said handle member being formed with a rib on the upper surface thereof dimensioned for receipt in said slot and for displacing said portion of said cover member from said peripheral rim when said handle member is joined to said bowl member.
11. A spoon construction comprising a spoon member having a bowl portion dimensioned to receive an accurately measured amount of liquid or powder and formed with an upstanding peripheral rim and a handle portion projecting from said bowl portion for manipulation of said spoon member; a cover member dimensioned to encompass said bowl portion rim for retaining said liquid or powder within said bowl portion; spring finger means formed in said handle portion and having a free end in registration with a portion of said cover member for freeing only a portion of said cover member from said bowl portion peripheral rim when engaged thereagainst to define a tab for grasping to permit removal of said cover member from said bowl portion by the manual manipulation of said freed cover member portion; and means for removably securing said cover member to said bowl portion rim.

Claims (11)

1. A spoon construction comprising a spoon member having a bowl portion dimensioned to receive an accurately measured amount of liquid or powder and formed with an upstanding peripheral rim and a handle portion projecting from said bowl portion for manipulation of said spoon member; a cover member dimensioned to encompass said bowl portion rim for retaining said liquid or powder within said bowl portion; means for removably securing said cover member to said bowl portion rim; and cover releasing means on said spoon member having a free end for selective displacement to a position at which a peripheral portion of said cover member is engaged by said free end to release only a portion of said cover member from said bowl portion rim to define a tab formed by said released cover member portion which can be manually manipulated to thereby effect removal of said cover member.
2. A spoon construction as recited in claim 1, said bowl portion being formed with a top wall portion partially enclosing a portion of the region defined by said upstanding peripheral rim and formed integral therewith to define a cove within said bowl portion for retaining said liquid therein; said top wall portion and cover releasing means being positioned on the side of said bowl portion in registration with said handle portion.
3. A spoon construction as recited in claim 1, wherein said means for removably connecting said cover member and said bowl portion includes an adhesive.
4. A spoon construction as recited in claim 1, wherein said handle portion projects from said bowl portion at a point on said bowl portion below said rim, said means for removably connecting said cover member and said bowl portion including snap-fit interengagement means on said bowl portion rim and said cover member, a first portion of said interengagement means being disposed on one of said bowl portion and cover member and adapted for penetration into and engagement by a second portion of said interengagement means disposed on the other of said bowl portion and cover member.
5. A spoon construction as recited in claim 4, wherein said snap-fit interengagement means includes a perimetric bead in said bowl portion rim and a correspondingly positioned groove in said cover member for snap-fit interengagement with said bead.
6. A spoon construction as recited in claim 4, wherein said snap-fit interengagement means includes a perimetric groove formed in said bowl portion rim, said cover member being formed with a correspondingly dimensioned bead for snap-fit interengagement with said groove.
7. A spoon construction as recited in claim 4, wherein said snap-fit interengagement means includes said bowl portion rim being formed with a perimetrically folded-over portion, said cover being formed with a groove dimensioned for snap-fit interengagement with said perimetrically folded-over rim portion.
8. A spoon construction as recited in claim 1, wherein said bowl and handle portions of said spoon member are formed of separate members, said bowl member being formed with a handle-receiving portion projecting laterally from said bowl member; and including handle interengagement means on said bowl member handle-receiving portion and said handle member for the releasable engagement of said bowl and handle members, said cover releasing means including a longitudinally extending slot in the upper surface of said handle-receiving portion extending from the end thereof to below a portion of said cover member, said handle member being formed with a rib on the upper surface thereof dimensioned for receipt in said slot and for displacing said portion of said cover member from said peripheral rim when said handle member is joined to said bowl member.
9. A spoon construction as recited in claim 1, wherein said cover-releasing means includes spring finger means formed in said handle portion and having a free end in registration with a portion of said cover member for freeing said cover member portion from said bowl portion peripheral rim when engaged thereagainst to define a tab for grasping to permit removal of said cover member from said bowl portion.
10. A spoon construction comprising a bowl member having a bowl portion dimensioned to receive an accurately measured amount of liquid or powder and formed with an upstanding peripheral rim and a handle receiving portion projecting from said bowl portion; a handle member for manipulation of said spoon member; handle interengagement means on said bowl member handle-receiving portion and said handle member for the releasable engagement of said bowl and handle members, a cover member dimensioned to encompass said bowl portion rim for retaining said liquid or powder within said bowl portion; and means for removably securing said cover member to said bowl portion rim, said handle-receiving portion including a longitudinally extending slot in the upper surface thereof extending from the end thereof to below a portion of said cover member, said handle member being formed with a rib on the upper surface thereof dimensioned for receipt in said slot and for displacing said portion of said cover member from said peripheral rim when said handle member is joined to said bowl member.
11. A spoon construction comprising a spoon member having a bowl portion dimensioned to receive an accurately measured amount of liquid or powder and formed with an upstanding peripheral rim and a handle portion projecting from said bowl portion for manipulation of said spoon member; a cover member dimensioned to encompass said bowl portion rim for retaining said liquid or powder within said bowl portion; spring finger means formed in said handle portion and having a free end in registration with a portion of said cover member for freeing only a portion of said cover member from said bowl portion peripheral rim when engaged thereagainst to define a tab for grasping to permit removal of said cover member from said bowl portion by the manual manipulation of said freed cover member portion; and means for removably securing said cover member to said bowl portion rim.
US439784A 1972-05-10 1974-02-05 Spoon constructions Expired - Lifetime US3911578A (en)

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Cited By (32)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4724615A (en) * 1986-11-17 1988-02-16 Product Resources International, Inc. Metered dosage spoon
GB2306322A (en) * 1995-10-27 1997-05-07 Kenneth Michael Terry Medicament dosing device
GB2311206A (en) * 1996-03-23 1997-09-24 John Edward Morgan Fisher Disposable packaging for food and beverages
US6595110B1 (en) * 2002-09-10 2003-07-22 Chiu-Yun Huang Blending and bubble filtering container structure
US6662454B2 (en) * 2001-09-18 2003-12-16 Valley Design, Inc. Child resistant, disposable, premeasured dosage spoon
EP1415577A1 (en) * 2002-10-31 2004-05-06 Ofir Stern Device for extracting or dissolving of a substrate, especially tea leaves, by or in a liquid
US20050066531A1 (en) * 2003-09-25 2005-03-31 Donna Hougland Transitional feeding utensil
WO2005040736A2 (en) * 2003-10-15 2005-05-06 Gruenewald Falco Electronic manual weighing shovel (shovel) with built-in weight display and weight scale in the handle
US6928870B1 (en) * 2004-05-18 2005-08-16 Lapform Products, Inc. Spice storage and dispensing spoon
WO2006031569A2 (en) * 2004-09-10 2006-03-23 Carla Sumner-Trivisani Clip-on utensils and methods of use therefor
US20070098785A1 (en) * 2005-11-02 2007-05-03 Tim Clarot Medicant delivery system and device
US20070210593A1 (en) * 2006-03-11 2007-09-13 Fusionbrands Incorporated Drizzle device
US20080072432A1 (en) * 2004-01-02 2008-03-27 Teys Bradley D Dispensing Utensil
US20100011970A1 (en) * 2008-07-20 2010-01-21 Avraham Asher Chocolate device for hot coffee
US20100089151A1 (en) * 2008-10-09 2010-04-15 Alberto Mantilla Stackable measuring containers with removable handles
US8291600B1 (en) * 2008-11-24 2012-10-23 Timothy Huchthausen Tasting utensil
US20120273382A1 (en) * 2009-11-23 2012-11-01 Beran M Berat Sealing means for protecting spoon bowl
US20130047446A1 (en) * 2011-08-29 2013-02-28 Adam Leffler Spoon Delivery Device and Method of Manufacturing Same to Improve the Administration of Medicine
US20130125402A1 (en) * 2011-11-17 2013-05-23 Gregory Chubenko Feeding Utensil
US8485360B2 (en) 2011-03-04 2013-07-16 Sands Innovations Pty, Ltd. Fracturable container
US8511500B2 (en) 2010-06-07 2013-08-20 Sands Innovations Pty. Ltd. Dispensing container
US8523016B2 (en) 2008-12-09 2013-09-03 Sands Innovations Pty Ltd. Dispensing container
GB2509589A (en) * 2012-11-12 2014-07-09 Infant Ventures Llc Spoon having bowl with raised rear edge in line with handle
WO2014109669A1 (en) * 2013-01-09 2014-07-17 Polyanskj Vladimir Vasil Vich Spoon-type device for storing, consuming, introducing and distributing a functional nutrition agent
US8919594B2 (en) 2007-01-31 2014-12-30 Sands Innovations Pty Ltd Dispensing container
USD741117S1 (en) * 2014-07-08 2015-10-20 Anthony Reed Spoon
KR200479593Y1 (en) * 2015-06-30 2016-02-16 김성용 Packaging container for food
US10064509B2 (en) 2015-04-24 2018-09-04 Martin Schmid Spoon with retention means
WO2020244680A1 (en) * 2019-06-06 2020-12-10 上海森蜂园蜂业有限公司 Honey spoon package
US10986947B2 (en) 2017-06-15 2021-04-27 S2 Products Inc. Beverage utensil with identification component
US20220202409A1 (en) * 2020-12-24 2022-06-30 Kerry Salsberg Eyelid manipulation device and methods of use
USD958610S1 (en) * 2021-01-08 2022-07-26 Nader Salih Retention spoon

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US1474443A (en) * 1921-06-24 1923-11-20 Robert B Rhyne Spoon
US1708456A (en) * 1928-08-16 1929-04-09 Tunick Jacob Spoon
US3287806A (en) * 1965-04-12 1966-11-29 Kellerman David Spoon having peelable cover

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US1280006A (en) * 1918-06-22 1918-09-24 Dink Fitzgerald Spoon.
US1474443A (en) * 1921-06-24 1923-11-20 Robert B Rhyne Spoon
US1708456A (en) * 1928-08-16 1929-04-09 Tunick Jacob Spoon
US3287806A (en) * 1965-04-12 1966-11-29 Kellerman David Spoon having peelable cover

Cited By (47)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4724615A (en) * 1986-11-17 1988-02-16 Product Resources International, Inc. Metered dosage spoon
GB2306322A (en) * 1995-10-27 1997-05-07 Kenneth Michael Terry Medicament dosing device
GB2306322B (en) * 1995-10-27 1999-10-27 Kenneth Michael Terry Medicament dosing device
GB2311206A (en) * 1996-03-23 1997-09-24 John Edward Morgan Fisher Disposable packaging for food and beverages
US6662454B2 (en) * 2001-09-18 2003-12-16 Valley Design, Inc. Child resistant, disposable, premeasured dosage spoon
US6595110B1 (en) * 2002-09-10 2003-07-22 Chiu-Yun Huang Blending and bubble filtering container structure
EP1415577A1 (en) * 2002-10-31 2004-05-06 Ofir Stern Device for extracting or dissolving of a substrate, especially tea leaves, by or in a liquid
US20050066531A1 (en) * 2003-09-25 2005-03-31 Donna Hougland Transitional feeding utensil
US20070124943A1 (en) * 2003-09-25 2007-06-07 Donna Hougland Method for feeding a child during the child's transition from bottle- to spoon-feeding
US20100011592A1 (en) * 2003-09-25 2010-01-21 Donna Hougland Method for feeding a child during the child's transition from bottle- to spoon-feeding
WO2005040736A2 (en) * 2003-10-15 2005-05-06 Gruenewald Falco Electronic manual weighing shovel (shovel) with built-in weight display and weight scale in the handle
WO2005040736A3 (en) * 2003-10-15 2005-07-14 Falco Gruenewald Electronic manual weighing shovel (shovel) with built-in weight display and weight scale in the handle
US8528736B2 (en) 2004-01-02 2013-09-10 Sands Innovations Pty Ltd. Frangible container with hinge cover
US8091242B2 (en) 2004-01-02 2012-01-10 Sands Innovations Pty Ltd Dispensing utensil
US20080072432A1 (en) * 2004-01-02 2008-03-27 Teys Bradley D Dispensing Utensil
WO2005116590A1 (en) * 2004-05-18 2005-12-08 Lapform Products, Inc. Spice storage and dispensing spoon
US6928870B1 (en) * 2004-05-18 2005-08-16 Lapform Products, Inc. Spice storage and dispensing spoon
US7716842B2 (en) 2004-09-10 2010-05-18 Carla Sumner-Trivisani Clip-on utensils and methods of use thereof
US20070006470A1 (en) * 2004-09-10 2007-01-11 Carla Sumner-Trivisani Clip-on utensils and methods of use thereof
WO2006031569A3 (en) * 2004-09-10 2006-11-02 Carla Sumner-Trivisani Clip-on utensils and methods of use therefor
WO2006031569A2 (en) * 2004-09-10 2006-03-23 Carla Sumner-Trivisani Clip-on utensils and methods of use therefor
US20070098785A1 (en) * 2005-11-02 2007-05-03 Tim Clarot Medicant delivery system and device
US20070210593A1 (en) * 2006-03-11 2007-09-13 Fusionbrands Incorporated Drizzle device
US8919594B2 (en) 2007-01-31 2014-12-30 Sands Innovations Pty Ltd Dispensing container
US20100011970A1 (en) * 2008-07-20 2010-01-21 Avraham Asher Chocolate device for hot coffee
US20100089151A1 (en) * 2008-10-09 2010-04-15 Alberto Mantilla Stackable measuring containers with removable handles
US8291600B1 (en) * 2008-11-24 2012-10-23 Timothy Huchthausen Tasting utensil
US8523016B2 (en) 2008-12-09 2013-09-03 Sands Innovations Pty Ltd. Dispensing container
US20120273382A1 (en) * 2009-11-23 2012-11-01 Beran M Berat Sealing means for protecting spoon bowl
US8511500B2 (en) 2010-06-07 2013-08-20 Sands Innovations Pty. Ltd. Dispensing container
US8485360B2 (en) 2011-03-04 2013-07-16 Sands Innovations Pty, Ltd. Fracturable container
US20130047446A1 (en) * 2011-08-29 2013-02-28 Adam Leffler Spoon Delivery Device and Method of Manufacturing Same to Improve the Administration of Medicine
WO2013039560A1 (en) * 2011-08-29 2013-03-21 Leffler Adam Spoon delivery device and method of manufacturing the same to improve the administration of medicine
US9107524B2 (en) * 2011-08-29 2015-08-18 Adam Leffler Spoon delivery device
US20140223747A1 (en) * 2011-08-29 2014-08-14 Adam Leffler Spoon Delivery Device
US8898912B2 (en) * 2011-08-29 2014-12-02 Adam Leffler Spoon delivery device
US20130125402A1 (en) * 2011-11-17 2013-05-23 Gregory Chubenko Feeding Utensil
GB2509589A (en) * 2012-11-12 2014-07-09 Infant Ventures Llc Spoon having bowl with raised rear edge in line with handle
GB2509589B (en) * 2012-11-12 2016-01-20 Infant Ventures Llc Spoon
WO2014109669A1 (en) * 2013-01-09 2014-07-17 Polyanskj Vladimir Vasil Vich Spoon-type device for storing, consuming, introducing and distributing a functional nutrition agent
USD741117S1 (en) * 2014-07-08 2015-10-20 Anthony Reed Spoon
US10064509B2 (en) 2015-04-24 2018-09-04 Martin Schmid Spoon with retention means
KR200479593Y1 (en) * 2015-06-30 2016-02-16 김성용 Packaging container for food
US10986947B2 (en) 2017-06-15 2021-04-27 S2 Products Inc. Beverage utensil with identification component
WO2020244680A1 (en) * 2019-06-06 2020-12-10 上海森蜂园蜂业有限公司 Honey spoon package
US20220202409A1 (en) * 2020-12-24 2022-06-30 Kerry Salsberg Eyelid manipulation device and methods of use
USD958610S1 (en) * 2021-01-08 2022-07-26 Nader Salih Retention spoon

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