Spoon Head Device for Use with Chopsticks

Abstract

A spoon head device that may be readily picked up and set down by a pair of chopsticks, to permit a user to use chopsticks to eat solid food and readily engage the spoon head to fashion a spoon for consuming liquid, such as soup. Various embodiments are disclosed that afford hygienic storage between use while eating, various chopstick tip engaging structures, flotation and other benefits and features of the present invention.

1 . A chopstick spoon head device, comprising:
 a spoon bowl having a bottom and contiguous sides that define a volume and are configured to hold a liquid, the bowl having a best-fit horizontal plane at which the bowl holds the greatest volume of liquid;   a first chopstick tip engaging structure (CTES) coupled with the bowl and adapted to contact a chopstick tip at at least two spaced apart and linearly-disposed points of contact, the first chopstick tip engaging structure having a principal chopstick receiving axis; and   a second chopstick tip engaging structure (CTES) coupled with the bowl and adapted to contact a chopstick tip at at least two spaced apart and linearly-disposed points of contact, the second chopstick tip engaging structure having a principal chopstick receiving axis;   wherein each CTES is configured for unencumbered insertion or removal of a chopstick tip into or from that CTES; and   wherein the principal axis of the first and the second chopstick tip engaging structures rise from a back of the spoon bowl at an angle alpha, α, from the best-fit horizontal plane that is between 0 and 90 degrees.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein alpha is between 5 and 80 degrees. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein alpha is between 10 and 70 degrees. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first CTES and second CTES are configured such that with chopstick tips appropriately inserted therein, the spoon head device is held to the CTESs by gravity or a pinching force applied through the chopstick tips onto the spoon head device. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein each CTES includes a chopstick tip receiving and aligning recess, the two recesses are located on opposite sides of a longitudinal centerline of the spoon head device and face outwardly from one another and the centerline, the recesses are arranged to receive the tips, one each, of a pair of chopstick tips, coming from substantially opposing directions, to accurately position the chopstick tips on the spoon head device to facilitate secure grasping yet with ready release. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a mounting structure to readily and releasably mount the spoon head device to another object when not in immediate use. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the spoon head device is configured to float on water. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the first CTES is configured such that the first point of contact is at the recess and the second point of contact is at the rear of the spoon bowl. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein each recess is defined in part by a more rewardly extending lip and the first point of contact of each of the first CTES and the second CTES is at the lip of that CTES. 
     
     
         10 . A chopstick spoon head device, comprising:
 a spoon bowl having a bottom and contiguous sides that define a volume and are configured to hold a liquid, the bowl having a best-fit horizontal plane at which the bowl holds the greatest volume of liquid;   a first chopstick tip engaging structure (CTES) coupled with the bowl and adapted to contact a chopstick tip at at least two spaced apart and linearly-disposed points of contact, the first chopstick tip engaging structure having a principal chopstick receiving axis; and   a second chopstick tip engaging structure (CTES) coupled with the bowl and adapted to contact a chopstick tip at at least two spaced apart and linearly-disposed points of contact, the second chopstick tip engaging structure having a principal chopstick receiving axis;   wherein each CTES surface is configured to define (a) a recess for receipt and alignment of a chopstick tip and (b) an unobstructed opening to the corresponding recess such that the side of a chopstick tip may be readily moved in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of that chopstick into contact or out of contact with the recess.   
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the principal axis of the first and the second CTESs rise from a back of the spoon bowl at an angle alpha, α, from the best-fit horizontal plane that is between 5 and 60 degrees. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the two recesses are located on opposite sides of a longitudinal centerline of the spoon head device and face outwardly from one another and the centerline, the recesses are arranged to receive the tips, one each, of a pair of chopstick tips, coming from substantially opposing directions, to accurately position the chopstick tips on the spoon head device to facilitate secure grasping yet with ready release. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 10 , further comprising a mounting structure to readily and releasably mount the spoon head device to another object when not in immediate use. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the spoon head device is configured to float on water. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the first CTES is configured such that the first point of contact is at the recess and the second point of contact is at the rear of the spoon bowl. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein each recess is defined in part by a more rewardly extending lip and the first point of contact of each of the first CTES and the second CTES is at the lip of that CTES. 
     
     
         17 . A chopstick spoon head device, comprising:
 a spoon bowl having a bottom and contiguous sides that define a volume and are configured to hold a liquid, the bowl having a best-fit horizontal plane at which the bowl holds the greatest volume of liquid;   a first chopstick tip engaging structure (CTES) coupled with the bowl and adapted to contact a chopstick tip at at least two spaced apart and linearly-disposed points of contact, the first chopstick tip engaging structure having a principal chopstick receiving axis; and   a second chopstick tip engaging structure (CTES) coupled with the bowl and adapted to contact a chopstick tip at at least two spaced apart and linearly-disposed points of contact, the second chopstick tip engaging structure having a principal chopstick receiving axis;   wherein at least one of the CTES is configured to define a recess into which a CST may be inserted unencumbered; and   wherein the CTESs are configured such that with one of a pair of chopstick tips inserted in the at least one of the CTES in which the tip may be inserted unencumbered and the other of a pair of chopstick tips contacting the spoon head device, the spoon head device may be securely yet releasably grasped by a user controlling those chopsticks.