Training chopsticks

Abstract

To provide training chopsticks in which a movable chopstick accurately turns for a fixed chopstick.SOLUTION: Training chopsticks (100, 110) are composed of a fixed chopstick (10), a movable chopstick (70), and a connection body (60) which is provided near the rear end of the fixed chopstick and which extends in the direction of the movable chopstick. The connection body (60) is provided with connection groove (65) including a first connection groove part (651) which is cut out in a first direction and a second groove part (653) which is cut out from the first groove part in a second direction crossing the first direction. Also, the movable chopstick (70) is provided with an opening (77) having a long side and a short side installed near the rear end of the movable chopstick and with a shank (75) installed in the opening and extends in the short side direction. Then, the shank (75) is inserted from the first groove part into the second groove part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to practice chopsticks for practicing the correct use of chopsticks or for correcting the use of chopsticks to the ideal way. [Background technology]

[0002] Chopsticks are widely used as eating utensils, especially in Southeast Asia. However, it is difficult for children who are not used to using chopsticks, or for Westerners who are not accustomed to using chopsticks, to use them correctly. Also, some people have to switch their dominant hand due to injury or disability. For this reason, training chopsticks have been proposed for practicing the correct use of chopsticks, particularly the correct way to hold them, as disclosed in Patent Document 1.

[0003] In the practice chopsticks described in Patent Document 1, a circular or semicircular cutout is formed in the connecting body extending from the fixed chopstick, and a shaft with a circular cross section is formed in the movable chopstick, which is pressed into the cutout and locked in place. This allows the movable chopstick to rotate around the connection part (shaft) with the connecting body as a fulcrum so that the tip of the movable chopstick approaches or moves away from the tip of the fixed chopstick. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2013-048843 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in the practice chopsticks described in Patent Document 1, the fixed chopsticks and the movable chopsticks are simply press-fitted together, so there is a problem that the notch and the shaft part easily come off due to variations in manufacturing precision, or conversely, the notch and the shaft part do not come off. Furthermore, even if they are manufactured with the appropriate dimensions, there is a problem that the notch and the shaft part easily come off after several years of use. Also, due to the gap (clearance) between the notch and the shaft part, the tip of the movable chopstick and the tip of the fixed chopstick do not mesh properly, and the tips of the chopsticks sometimes misalign and cross each other. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] Therefore, the present invention provides practice chopsticks in which the movable chopstick rotates accurately relative to the fixed chopstick.

[0007] The practice chopsticks of this embodiment include a fixed chopstick, a movable chopstick, and a connecting body provided near the rear end of the fixed chopstick and extending toward the movable chopstick. The connecting body has a connecting groove including a first groove portion cut in a first direction and a second groove portion cut from the first groove portion in a second direction intersecting the first direction. The movable chopstick also has an opening portion with long and short sides provided near the rear end of the movable chopstick, and a shaft portion provided in the opening portion and extending in the short side direction. The shaft portion is inserted from the first groove portion to the second groove portion of the connecting groove.

[0008] It is preferable that the second groove portion includes a narrow portion having a width narrower than a diameter of the shaft portion, and the shaft portion is inserted beyond the narrow portion. It is also preferable that a pair of ribs be formed on the long side surfaces of the opening. Furthermore, when the front part of the tip of the connecting body comes into contact with the front part of the opening, the tip of the fixed chopstick and the tip of the movable chopstick overlap each other. It is preferable that the movable chopstick is made up of a front half and a rear half, the rear half having an opening and a ball joint at the tip side of the rear half, and the front half having a receiving portion at the rear end side for receiving the ball joint.

[0009] The fixed chopstick has a thumb stopper that comes into contact with the base of the thumb and a thumb support that supports the pad of the thumb at the tip side of the connecting body, the contact surface of the thumb stopper is a curved surface that bulges towards the base of the thumb, and the contact surface of the thumb support is longer than the first joint of the thumb. The fixed chopstick has a ring finger hook for supporting the ring finger on the tip side of the thumb support, and the ring finger hook includes a first hook formed in a convex shape and a second hook adjacent to it. The movable chopstick also has an index finger / middle finger support at the tip side of the opening for supporting the index finger and middle finger, and the index finger / middle finger support includes a long, thin support plate that is held between the index finger and the middle finger. Effect of the Invention

[0010] The practice chopsticks of the present invention allow the movable chopstick to rotate accurately relative to the fixed chopstick even after long-term use. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1(A) is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the practice chopsticks according to the first embodiment, (B) is a rear view of the practice chopsticks, and (C) is a front view of the practice chopsticks. [Diagram 2] (A) is a diagram showing the cross-sectional structure near the connector when the chopsticks are closed and open, (B) is a side view showing the area around the opening of the movable chopstick, and (C) is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the connector. [Diagram 3] (A) is a diagram showing the state where the thumb stopper 20 and the thumb support 30 are touched with the right hand. (B) is an enlarged view of the thumb stopper 20, the thumb support 30, and the ring finger hook 40. (C) is a cross-sectional view taken along CC in (B). [Figure 4] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of practice chopsticks according to the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] Hereinafter, the practice chopsticks according to the embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In addition, in each drawing, the actual size may not be drawn in order to emphasize the components.

[0013] <<First embodiment>> <Structure of practice chopsticks> Fig. 1(A) is a perspective view of the practice chopsticks 100 according to the first embodiment, (B) is a rear view thereof, and (C) is a front view thereof. As shown in Fig. 1(A), (B) and (C), the practice chopsticks 100 according to the first embodiment have a fixed chopstick 10, a movable chopstick 70, a thumb stopper 20, a thumb support 30, a ring finger hook 40, an index finger / middle finger support 50, and a connector 60.

[0014] 1, there is a connector 60 near the rear end of the fixed chopstick 10, and on the tip side of the chopstick, in that order, there are a thumb stopper 20, a thumb support 30, and a ring finger hook 40. There is also an opening 77 near the rear end of the movable chopstick 70, into which the connector 60 is inserted, and on the tip side of the movable chopstick, there is an index finger and middle finger support 50.

[0015] The fixed chopstick 10 is fixed by the thumb and ring finger, and the movable chopstick 70 is held by the fingertips of the middle finger and index finger, and moves relative to the fixed chopstick 10 as shown by the arrow. The cross section of the fixed chopstick 10 and the movable chopstick 70 may be any of square, octagonal, circular, and elliptical. The fixed chopstick 10 and the movable chopstick 70 of the first embodiment have an elliptical cross section at the rear end side, and become circular as they approach the tip (front end) side. The fixed chopstick 10 and the movable chopstick are also tapered so that they become thinner toward the tip. The length of the practice chopsticks 100 is preferably 20-24 cm for adults and 16-19 cm for children.

[0016] The fixed chopstick 10 or the movable chopstick 70 may be made of wood, bamboo, metal or plastic. Plastic is preferable, especially considering ease of processing and mass production. There is no limit to the plastic material, but ABS resin, polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) are preferable. The fixed chopstick 10 and the movable chopstick 70 of the first embodiment are provided with notches 19 consisting of multiple recesses to prevent food from falling off the chopsticks. The fixed chopstick 10 and the movable chopstick 70 do not have to have notches 19.

[0017] The thumb stopper 20, thumb support 30, and ring finger hook 40 are attached to the fixed chopstick 10 so that they are inserted from the tip of the fixed chopstick 10. Since the fixed chopstick 10 is tapered toward the tip (front end), the thumb stopper 20, thumb support 30, and ring finger hook 40 can be easily inserted. If the thumb stopper 20, thumb support 30, and ring finger hook 40 are separate, they can be adjusted to fit the position of the fingers. In the first embodiment, the thumb stopper 20 and thumb support 30 are integrated, but they may be separate. Also, the thumb stopper 20, thumb support 30, and ring finger hook 40 may be integrated with the fixed chopstick 10.

[0018] The index finger / middle finger support 50 is attached to the movable chopstick 70 so as to be inserted from the tip of the movable chopstick 70. The movable chopstick 70 and the index finger / middle finger support 50 may be integrally molded.

[0019] In the first embodiment, fitting grooves 11, 12 are formed in the fixed chopstick 10, and a fitting groove 72 is formed in the movable chopstick 70, so that the thumb stopper 20, thumb support 30, ring finger hook 40, and index finger / middle finger support 50 are positioned in a constant position and direction, as shown in FIG. 2(A).

[0020] The connector 60 in the first embodiment is provided integrally with the fixed chopstick 10 near the rear end thereof, but like the thumb stopper 20 and the like, it may be attached so as to be inserted from the tip of the fixed chopstick 10.

[0021] The thumb stopper 20, thumb support 30, ring finger hook 40, and index finger / middle finger support 50 are preferably made of plastic from the viewpoint of mass production. Examples of plastic include ABS, PP, PS, PET, and silicone rubber. The thumb support 30, ring finger hook 40, and index finger / middle finger support 50, which come into contact with the fingertips, are preferably made of silicone rubber, which is particularly elastic. In addition, the thumb stopper 20, thumb support 30, ring finger hook 40, and index finger / middle finger support 50 preferably have a rough surface treatment with many small irregularities or fine grooves to prevent the fingers from slipping.

[0022] <Structure of connector 60> The connector 60 will now be described in detail. Fig. 2 is a diagram for explaining the connecting body 60 according to the embodiment, the right diagram of Fig. 2(A) is a cross-sectional view of the fixed chopstick 10 and the movable chopstick 70 showing the movable chopstick 70 in a closed state, and the left diagram is a cross-sectional view of the fixed chopstick 10 and the movable chopstick 70 showing the movable chopstick 70 in an open state. Fig. 2(B) is an enlarged view of the periphery of the opening of the movable chopstick 70, and Fig. 2(C) is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the periphery of the connecting groove 65 of the connecting body 60.

[0023] As shown in Figs. 2(A) and (B), the movable chopstick 70 has an opening 77 near its rear end. As shown in Fig. 2(B), the opening 77 is a through hole having short sides (front part 71, rear part 73) and long sides (a pair of side surfaces 74) when viewed from the side. The opening 77 is provided with an axis part 75 between the front part 71 and the rear part 73, which extends in the short side direction and connects the pair of side surfaces 74. A pair of ribs 79, which are protrusions, are formed on each of the pair of side surfaces 74. The width (Z direction or short side direction) of the pair of ribs 79 is width WT. The ribs 79 protrude from the side surfaces 74 by about 0.05 mm to 0.2 mm.

[0024] The connecting body 60 has a handle 69 that extends obliquely from the rear end of the fixed chopstick 10 toward the tip of the movable chopstick 70. A front part 61 and a rear part 63 are formed at the tip of the handle 69. A connecting groove 65 is formed between the front part 61 and the rear part 63. The handle 69 extends obliquely toward the tip of the movable chopstick 70, but it may also extend vertically.

[0025] The width (Z direction) of the tip (front part 61 and rear part 63) of the handle 69 is width WT, and the Z direction (short side direction) is restricted by a pair of ribs 79 of the opening 77. Therefore, even if there is a gap between the connecting groove 65 and the shaft part 75, the chopstick tip of the fixed chopstick 10 and the chopstick tip of the movable chopstick 70 do not shift in the Z direction and overlap exactly. When the chopstick end of the fixed chopstick 10 and the chopstick end of the movable chopstick 70 are just in contact with each other, the front part 61 of the connector 60 and the front part 71 of the opening 77 are in contact with each other, as shown in the right diagram of FIG. 2(A). In addition, the most open state of the fixed chopstick 10 and the movable chopstick 70 is when the rear end of the movable chopstick 70 is in contact with the rear end of the fixed chopstick 10, as shown in the left diagram of FIG. 2(A). The area of ​​the pair of ribs 79 is 10% or less of the area of ​​the side surface 74, so that friction is small even when the ribs 79 and the handle 69 are in contact, and the movable chopstick 70 can be easily moved with a weak force of the index finger and middle finger. Also, it is preferable that the width of the base of the handle 69 is thicker than the width WT.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 2(C), the connecting groove 65 of the connector 60 has a first groove portion 651 cut in a first direction (X direction in the figure) and a second groove portion 653 cut from the first groove portion 651 in a second direction (Y direction in the figure) intersecting the first direction. That is, the connecting groove 65 is C-shaped or L-shaped when viewed from the front. The first groove portion 651 and the second groove portion 653 are formed with a width RL that is 0.1 mm to 0.4 mm larger than the diameter ΦRR of the shaft portion 75. In addition, the end 657 of the second groove portion 653 is cut with a radius that is 0.05 mm to 0.2 mm larger than the radius of the shaft portion 75, and a narrow width portion 655 having a width RN that is 0.1 mm to 0.4 mm narrower than the diameter ΦRR of the shaft portion 75 is formed at the entrance of the end 657. That is, the shaft portion 75 is fitted into the end 657 beyond the narrow width portion 655. The movable chopstick 70 moves around the shaft 75 fitted into the end 657. When washing the practice chopsticks 100, the shaft 75 can be removed from the connecting groove 65 so that the movable chopstick 70 and the fixed chopstick 10 can be washed separately.

[0027] When moving the movable chopstick 70 with the index finger and middle finger, the shaft 75 may apply a force in the -X direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 2(C) at the end of the second groove 653. Since the end is notched in a circular shape, the force from the shaft 75 is dispersed, and the force is rarely applied to one place such as the narrow part 655. If the connecting groove is only in the first direction and made of plastic, the narrow part will wear out due to frictional forces applied to it over the years when the practice chopsticks are used for many years. Then, the gap between the shaft and the connecting groove becomes large, and the tip of the fixed chopstick 10 and the tip of the movable chopstick 70 may shift in the Z direction. Since the connecting groove 65 is C-shaped or L-shaped, the tip of the fixed chopstick 10 and the tip of the movable chopstick 70 will not shift even if the practice chopsticks made of plastic are used for many years.

[0028] <Structure of thumb stopper 20 and thumb support 30> The thumb stopper 20 and the thumb support 30 will now be described in detail. Fig. 3 is a diagram for explaining the thumb stopper 20 and thumb support 30 according to the embodiment, Fig. 3(A) is a diagram showing a state where the thumb stopper 20 and thumb support 30 of the practice chopsticks 100 are touched with the right hand, and the index finger, middle finger, ring finger and little finger are extended. That is, in Fig. 3(A), the index finger, middle finger, ring finger and little finger are not touching the ring finger hook 40 and the index finger / middle finger support 50. Fig. 3(B) is an enlarged view of the thumb stopper 20, thumb support 30 and ring finger hook 40 attached to the fixed chopsticks 10. Fig. 3(C) is a cross-sectional view taken along CC in Fig. 3(B).

[0029] As shown in FIG. 3(A), the user holds the fixed chopstick 10 at the base between the thumb and index finger with the right hand. At that time, the palm of the user near the base between the thumb and index finger abuts against the thumb stopper 20. Furthermore, the user abuts the pad of the thumb against the abutment surface 32 of the thumb support 30. This puts the practice chopstick 100 in a state where it can be stably held. In other words, since the pad of the finger and the thumb near the base abut against the thumb stopper 20 and the thumb support 30, the fixed chopstick 10 can be stably held, and since the movable chopstick 70 is also firmly connected by the connector 60, the practice chopstick 100 can be stably held.

[0030] When the thumb is bent so that the pad of the thumb abuts against the abutment surface of thumb support 30, the pad of the palm near the base between the thumb and index finger becomes concave. For this reason, as shown in Fig. 3(B), it is preferable that abutment surface 22 (+Y direction side) of thumb stopper 20 is a convex curved surface.

[0031] As shown in Figures 3(B) and (C), it is preferable that the contact surface 32 of the thumb support 30 has a curved surface that matches the curved surface of the pad of the thumb. In particular, it is preferable that the curved portion 32a of the contact surface 32 on the +Y direction side of the pad of the thumb (towards the base of the thumb and index finger) is large. This is so that the practice chopsticks 100 are supported by the force in the -Y direction applied to the thumb stopper 20 and the force in the +Y direction applied to the thumb support 30. This is to make it easier to get into the habit of supporting the chopsticks with a weak frictional force between the base of the thumb and index finger and the thumb, rather than applying force to the pad of the thumb.

[0032] Furthermore, it is preferable that the length of the contact surface 32 in the direction in which the thumb extends is longer than the first joint of the thumb. In particular, when an infant or child is using chopsticks for the first time, or when a person who is reversibly handed uses chopsticks, they often put force into their thumb and bend the first joint of the thumb. For this reason, by making the contact surface 32 longer than the first joint of the thumb, the infant or child cannot bend the first joint of the thumb, making it difficult to put force into it. This allows the infant or child to use chopsticks correctly.

[0033] <Structure of Ring Finger Hook 40> Basically, the ring finger only needs to be placed on the fixed chopstick 10 to fix the fixed bridge 10, so the ring finger hook 40 is provided so that the place on the fixed chopstick 10 where the ring finger is placed is clear. For children and others with weak strength, the thumb stopper 20 alone is not enough to fix the fixed chopstick 10, and the ring finger is likely to slip off when the movable chopstick 70 is opened (moved), so it is preferable to have the ring finger hook 40, especially for children.

[0034] As shown in Fig. 1(B) and Fig. 3(B), the ring finger hook 40 has a large first hook 44 and a small second hook 46 adjacent to it, which are formed in a convex shape on the back side (-Z direction), and a ring finger insertion section 42 for one ring finger is formed between the first hook 44 and the second hook 46. When the user inserts the ring finger into the ring finger insertion section 42, the pad of the ring finger comes into contact with the first hook 44 and the back of the ring finger comes into contact with the second hook 46. The ring finger can then support the fixed chopstick 10.

[0035] When the user places the ring finger in the ring finger insertion section 42, the little finger will be placed next to the ring finger. However, the first hook 44 does not need to be extended to a height (-Z direction) where the little finger can come into contact with it. This is because the ring finger only needs to be placed on the fixed chopstick 10. Also, if the position of the ring finger is determined by the first hook 44, the second hook 46 is not necessary.

[0036] <Structure of index finger / middle finger support 50> The index finger, middle finger and ring finger move the movable chopstick 70 in the direction of the arrow (see FIG. 1). For this reason, it is preferable that the index finger / middle finger support 50 has a long and thin support plate 52 as shown in FIG. 1(B) or (C). The user can hold the movable chopstick 70 by pinching the support plate 52 between the pads of the index finger and middle finger. Although not shown, instead of providing the support plate 52, a recess may be provided in the body 53 of the index finger / middle finger support 50 so that the movable chopstick can be held between the pads of the index finger and middle finger.

[0037] <Outline of how to use practice chopsticks> Next, a method of using the practice chopsticks 100 of the first embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 3, first, the base between the thumb and index finger is brought into contact with the contact surface 22 of the thumb stopper 20. Then, the thumb is bent to bring the pad of the thumb into contact with the contact surface 32 of the thumb support 30. The support plate 52 of the index finger / middle finger support 50 is sandwiched between the tip of the middle finger and the tip of the ring finger. Furthermore, the pad of the tip of the ring finger is inserted into the ring finger insertion part 42 of the ring finger hook 40. This allows the fixed chopstick 10 and the movable chopstick 70 to be stably held. Then, the movable chopstick 70 can be freely operated in the direction of the arrow (see FIG. 1) with the index finger and middle finger.

[0038] <<Second embodiment>> <Structure of practice chopsticks> 4 is a cross-sectional view of the training chopsticks 110 according to the second embodiment. The same reference numerals are used for components having substantially the same functional configuration as those in the first embodiment. The description of the same reference numerals is omitted.

[0039] The practice chopsticks 110 of the second embodiment differ from the practice chopsticks 100 of the first embodiment in that a movable chopstick 80 (rear half 81, front half 87) is used instead of the movable chopstick 70. The rear half 81 is provided with a shaft 75, an opening 77, etc., like the movable chopsticks 70 of the first embodiment. Also, the front half 87 is formed with a fitting groove 72 for the index finger and middle finger support 50, like the movable chopsticks 70 of the first embodiment.

[0040] A ball joint 83 is formed on the tip side (-Y direction) of rear half portion 81. A receiving portion 85 for ball joint 83 is formed on the rear end side of front half portion 87. Ball joint 83 is fitted into receiving portion 85. Although not shown, ball joint 83 may be stored in receiving portion 85 by fastening a part of receiving portion 85 with a screw or the like instead of fitting.

[0041] With the above-mentioned configuration, the front half 87 can rotate about the Y-axis relative to the rear half 81. In general, when the index finger and middle finger are moved so that the tip of the movable chopstick touches the tip of the fixed chopstick (in the direction of the arrow in Figure 1), it rotates about 5 to 20 degrees about the Y-axis. This is because, when the tip of the movable chopstick touches the tip of the fixed chopstick, the movement of the middle finger tends to be greater than the movement of the index finger.

[0042] In the second embodiment, the front half 87 can rotate about the Y axis relative to the rear half 81, so that the practice chopsticks 110 can rotate about the Y axis. [Industrial Applicability]

[0043] The practice chopsticks of this embodiment can be used as practice chopsticks for infants or children, as practice chopsticks for people who have switched their dominant hand due to injury, or as practice chopsticks for Westerners who are not accustomed to using chopsticks. They can also be used as corrective chopsticks for adults who are accustomed to using chopsticks incorrectly. [Explanation of symbols]

[0044] 100, 110...Practice chopsticks 10: fixed tongue; 11, 12: fitting groove; 19: notch 20...thumb stopper, 22...contact surface 30: thumb support; 32: contact surface; 32a: curved surface portion 40...Ring finger hook, 42...Ring finger insertion part, 44...First hook, 46...Second hook 50…Index finger / middle finger support 60: connector; 65: connector groove; 651: first groove portion; 653: second groove portion 655...narrow section, 657...end, 69...handle 70...movable chopstick, 71...front part, 73...rear part, 74...side part, 75...shaft part 77…Opening, 79…Rib 80: movable chopstick, 81: rear half, 83: ball joint 85…receiving part, 87…front half

Claims

1. A training chopstick comprising a fixed chopstick, a movable chopstick, and a connector provided near the rear end of the fixed chopstick and extending in the direction of the movable chopstick, the connecting body has a connecting groove including a first groove portion cut in a first direction and a second groove portion cut from the first groove portion in a second direction intersecting the first direction, The movable chopstick has an opening portion provided near the rear end of the movable chopstick, the opening portion having a long side and a short side, and a shaft portion provided in the opening portion and extending in the direction of the short side, The shaft portion is inserted from the first groove portion to the second groove portion of the connecting groove. Practice chopsticks.

2. 2. The practice chopsticks according to claim 1, wherein the second groove includes a narrow portion having a width narrower than a diameter of the stem, and the stem is inserted beyond the narrow portion.

3. 2. The practice chopsticks according to claim 1, wherein a pair of ribs are formed on the side surfaces of the long sides of the opening.

4. 2. The practice chopsticks according to claim 1, wherein the tip of the fixed chopstick and the tip of the movable chopstick overlap when the front part of the tip of the connecting body and the front part of the opening come into contact with each other.

5. The movable chopstick comprises a front half and a rear half, the rear half has the opening and a ball joint on a tip side of the rear half, 2. The practice chopsticks according to claim 1, wherein the front half has a receiving portion at its rear end for receiving the ball joint.

6. The fixed chopstick has a thumb stopper that abuts against the base of the thumb and a thumb support that supports the pad of the thumb at the tip side of the connecting body, The contact surface of the thumb stopper is a curved surface that bulges toward the base of the thumb, 2. The practice chopsticks according to claim 1, wherein the contact surface of the thumb support has a length exceeding the first joint of the thumb.

7. The fixed chopstick has a ring finger hook on the tip side of the thumb support for supporting the ring finger, The practice chopsticks according to claim 6, wherein the ring finger hook includes a first hook formed in a convex shape and a second hook adjacent thereto.

8. The movable chopstick has an index finger / middle finger support for supporting the index finger and middle finger at the tip side of the opening, 2. The practice chopsticks according to claim 1, wherein the index finger and middle finger support includes a long and narrow support plate that is held between the index finger and the middle finger.

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