US 12,310,518 B2Granted

System for interacting with food

OwnerCarter T. Malcolminventor

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A system for interacting with food includes a rigid plate with a plurality of recessed regions formed in a body portion of the plate. The recessed regions are arranged to define a shape of an object such as a vehicle or animal for appealing to a young child. One or more of the recessed regions may include a nesting region having a shape substantially matching the shape of a head portion of a utensil for use with the plate. The recessed regions may also include a dock portion that mates with and elevates a head portion of an associated utensil above the lower surface of the recessed region. The body portion may include a retention feature that mates with and retains and handle portion of the utensil. Transition regions between the walls and the lower surfaces of recessed regions may match the shape of the head of the utensil.

Claims33

Dependent claims

A system for interacting with food, the system comprising:

a plate having a body portion;
an eating utensil having a head portion and a handle portion;
interconnected walls within the body portion of the plate defining a plurality of recessed regions having sidewalls;
the interconnected walls defining an uppermost surface, wherein the plurality of recessed regions include a lower surface recessed relative to the uppermost surface;
and
at least one retention feature positioned on the uppermost surface of at least one of the interconnected walls, wherein the at least one retention feature retains an eating utensil during use with at least one of the recessed regions of the plate;
wherein the at least one retention feature retains the handle portion of the eating utensil when the head portion of the eating utensil is disposed within at least one of the recessed regions;
wherein the at least one retention feature comprises multiple retention features positioned on the uppermost surface of at least one of the walls;
wherein the multiple retention features comprises a plurality of projections including a middle projection disposed between a pair of side projections, wherein a space is defined between the middle projection and the side projections such that when the eating utensil is retained a U-shaped cross-section of the handle portion is held between the side projections and disposed on each side of the middle projection.

6 more elements

A system for interacting with food, the system comprising:

a plate have a body portion including a plurality of interconnected walls that combine to define a plurality of recessed regions;
an eating utensil having a head portion and a handle portion;
a first recessed region of the plurality of recessed regions that is recessed relative to an uppermost surface of the body portion;
a second recessed region of the plurality of recessed regions that is recessed relative to the uppermost surface of the body portion;
wherein the first and second recessed regions are separated so as to include non-contiguous lower surfaces,
a passageway fluidically connecting the first recessed region and the second recessed region below the uppermost surface of the body portion;
and
a third recessed region of the plurality of recessed regions that is recessed relative to the uppermost surface of the body portion and fluidically isolated from the first and second recessed regions below the uppermost surface;
wherein the first recessed region includes a dock portion having a shape corresponding to the head portion of the eating utensil;
wherein at least one projecting retention member extends upwardly from the uppermost surface of the body portion;
wherein the at least one projecting retention member is disposed on an opposite side of the first recessed region relative to the dock portion, such that the head portion of the eating utensil mates with the dock portion when the handle portion of the eating utensil is retained by the at least one projecting retention member.

8 more elements

A system for interacting with food, the system comprising:

a plate having a body portion;
an eating utensil having a head portion and a handle portion;
interconnected walls within the body portion of the plate defining a plurality of recessed regions having sidewalls;
the interconnected walls defining an uppermost surface, wherein the plurality of recessed regions include a lower surface recessed relative to the uppermost surface;
and
at least one retention feature positioned on the uppermost surface of at least one of the interconnected walls, wherein the at least one retention feature retains an eating utensil during use with at least one of the recessed regions of the plate;
wherein the at least one retention feature retains the handle portion of the eating utensil when the head portion of the eating utensil is disposed within at least one of the recessed regions;
a dock portion defined in a first recessed region of the plurality of recessed regions;
wherein the retention feature is defined on the upper surface of one of the walls that defines the first recessed region;
wherein the head portion of the first utensil has a size and shape corresponding to the dock portion, and wherein the head portion mates with the dock portion in an elevated position relative to a bottom surface of the first recessed region;
wherein the handle portion mates with and is retained by the retention feature;
wherein at least two recessed regions are separated so as to include non-contiguous lower surfaces, but which recessed regions are fluidically connected by a passageway extending below the upper surface of the walls of the recessed regions, wherein the passageway fluidically connecting the at least two recessed regions includes a ramp to facilitate the transfer of food from one recessed region to another recessed region.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.