Elevated Utensil Riser Structure for Surface Contamination Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing eating utensils fail to provide a hygienic solution for preventing contamination by germs and bacteria, as the working end often comes into contact with contaminated surfaces when placed on a planar surface, and existing lifters are cumbersome and prone to misplacement.
Innovation Solution
An eating utensil design featuring a riser integrally formed with the handle and working end, which elevates the working end above a planar surface when placed upright or inverted, preventing contact with contaminants, and allowing for easy stacking and storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the working end of the utensil is placed on a planar surface for storage or handling, then the utensil is easily stored and handled, but the working end becomes contaminated by germs and bacteria
Solution Approach 1:
The riser extends the utensil body in a vertical dimension, transforming the placement from horizontal contact with the surface to vertical elevation above the surface. This dimensional change allows the working end to be stored and handled conveniently while preventing contact contamination.
Solution Approach 2:
The riser acts as an intermediary element between the utensil body and the planar surface. It mediates the contact relationship by providing a bridge that elevates the working end, allowing the utensil to be placed on surfaces without direct contamination of the working end.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If separate lifters are attached to elevate the working end, then contamination is prevented, but the device complexity increases and the lifter may be misplaced
Solution Approach 1:
The riser is merged with the utensil body as an integral component, eliminating the need for separate attachable lifters. This integration maintains the contamination prevention function while reducing device complexity and eliminating the risk of misplacement associated with separate components.
Solution Approach 2:
The utensil provides its own elevation function through the integrated riser, making it self-sufficient. The riser is permanently attached and requires no additional accessories or attachments, allowing the utensil to serve its own hygiene needs without external assistance.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to eating utensils, such as spoons, forks and knifes that include a riser configured to elevate the distal end of the utensil when the utensil is placed in an upright or inverted position on a planar surface to avoid contamination. The riser includes a riser member having a lower curvature end integrally formed with a handle and an upper curvature end integrally formed with the working end of a spoon, fork or knife A plurality of eating utensils can be stacked one on top of the other for storage or packaging.