US 5,479,708 A · Utensil holder for infants

Abstract

A utensil holder for infants and toddlers is made up of a generally triangular handle having a hollow gripping area and a utensil-supporting portion at one side of the handle which converges forwardly and terminates in a socket end portion for insertion of a complementary shank end portion of a utensil. In another preferred form, an eating utensil is disposed with its eating surface facing in a direction substantially parallel to the longer dimension of the handle so that when the handle is grasped and held in a palmar, upright position by the infant, the eating surface can face upwardly for placement of food thereon and insertion into the infant's mouth. In the alternative, the utensil can form a permanent part of the supporting portion at one side of the handle but in either form the handle is longer in a direction transverse to the direction of entry of the utensil into the infant's mouth than the longest dimension across the infant's mouth to prevent lodging of the handle therein.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A utensil holder for use by infants and toddlers comprising:

an elongated, generally triangular handle having a plurality of sides, said handle including a hollow gripping area for insertion of the fingers of the infant's hand, a utensil-supporting portion disposed at one side of said handle intermediately between opposite ends of said handle, and said handle having converging portions extending from said opposite ends into said utensil-supporting portion, wherein said gripping area is of generally triangular shape, said handle having a bar member substantially bisecting said gripping area defining intermediate gripping means to alleviate pressure on small muscle groups of the hand while effecting a secure grip with said handle;
and
a utensil attached to said utensil-supporting portion, said handle being longer in a direction transverse to a direction of entry of said utensil-supporting portion into the infant's mouth than in a direction parallel to said direction of entry and being longer in said transverse direction than the longest dimension across the infant's mouth to prevent lodging of said handle in the infant's mouth.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Utensil holder for infants

Life of this patent

Utensil holder for infants

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16