US3038256A - Straw-spoon amusement device - Google Patents

Description

7 June 1962 J. s. MAYER 3,038,256

STRAWSPOON AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed NOV. 23, 1959 170515 24 5. M4 yEe INVENTOR.

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United States Patent Oliice 1 3,038,256 STRAW-SPOON AMUSEMENT DEVICE Joseph S. Mayer, 1281 26th St., San Bernardino, Cahh,

assignor of twelve percent to Irvin Quam, San Bernardino, twelve percent to Maurice E. Brayton, Del

Rosa, twelve percent to Richard C. Grove, San Bernardino, and twelve percent to Lloyd B. Thompson,

San Bernardino, Calif.

Filed Nov. 23, 1959, Ser. No. 854,849 1 Claim. (Cl. 30141) The present invention relates to a device adapted to be used for mixing, eating, drinking or amusement purposes by adults or children in the home, hospital or commercial establishments.

There are many instances where it is desirable to have a single device which can function both as a spoon and straw. Ice cream sodas or thick milk shakes are examples of beverages in which a straw-spoon device may be used. In addition, such a device may be used as a stirrer or mixer in drinks containing ice or other solids. Patients in hospitals would benefit from a straw-spoon device as it reduces the number of utensils required to be handled.

While it is intended that adults as well as children will use the combination straw-spoon device, it is believed that children will derive greater enjoyment from such a device as to them it will also be an amusement device.

An object of the present invention is to provide a device which may function as a straw, spoon or as an amusement device.

Another object is to provide a straw-spoon device which adapted to be disassembled for ease of cleaning,

A further object is to provide a straw-spoon device which is attractive, has a minimum number of parts, and is extremely economical to manufacture.

Still another object is to provide a two-member strawspoon amusement device so that the straw member may be the same color as or a different color than the spoon member.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be readily apparent from the following description when considered in connection with the appended drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a disassembled perspective view of an exemplary device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the assembled device of FIG 1.

FIG. 3 is a transverse plane III-III of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section of the device taken along plane IVIV of FIG. 1.

The device of the present invention is perferably made of two members, a spoon member and straw-handle member 20. Each member may be individually made by various well-known molding and extruding methods from suitable materials of various colors, and the members may be shipped either disassembled or assembled.

The spoon member may be curved, as shown, and have an inner concave surface 11 and outer convex surface 12 which is continuous and smooth. The inner concave surface 11 is divided into substantially equal cavities 13 and 13' by an integral, central tubular straw extension 14 protruding from the concave surface 11 and preferably being straight and extending from the lower end 10a to the upper end 10b of the spoon member 10.

The tubular straw extension 14 is provided with an upper end 14a extending beyond the upper end 10b of the spoon member and having a transverse shoulder 16 provided thereon. The straw-handle member 20 is adapted to have one end thereof frictionally engage the upper end 14a of the extension 14 in a fluid leak-tight manner and rest on and be limited in its downward movement by the section of the device taken along shoulder 16. The upper end 14a of the extension 14 may be tapered for providing a frictional, wedging connection for the straw-handle member 20.

The straw-handle member 20 is tubular and when assembled with the spoon member 10 provides a continuous and preferably straight fluid passageway from the lower end 10a of the device to the upper end. The member 20 is circular in section and substantially rigid to support the spoon-member 10 and is adapted to transmit torque to the spoon member when the device is used as an amusement device. The inner diameter of the passageway in the straw-handle member 20 should be approximately the same as the outer diameter of the upper end 14a of the extension 14 to provide a tight friction connection.

The passageways through the extension 14 and strawhandle member 20 are in alignment and provide a straight fluid channel rather than a curved passageway. This aids in preventing small solid particles from clogging or blocking the channel as generally occurs in a curved passageway.

When the straw-spoon device of the present invention is inserted into a fluid, it may be used as an amusement device, particularly by children. The tubular strawhandle member 20 may be held vertically and placed between the palms of the hands of a person and rotated by reciprocation of the hands of the person. The back and forth movement of the persons hands causes the member 20 to rotate and transmit torque to the spoon member 10 through the connection at the upper end 14a of the extension 14. Due to the cavities 13 and 13' formed by the tubular extension 14 and the inner concave surface 11, novel vortexes, bubbles and a swirling action is imparted to the fluid when the device is rotated. Children will find this action amusing and it is contemplated that other amusing uses may be found for this device.

The spoon member and straw-handle member of the present invention may be made of various materials that are inexpensive and easily molded and extruded. It has been found that thermoplastic resins, such as polystyrene with a small percentage of synthetic rubber is suitable as it can be extruded or injection molded and has good tensile and flexural strength. The material used for either member may be transparent, translucent, or of any opaque color and should retain its strength at low temperatures.

It can therefore be understood that the straw-spoon device of the present invention may be economically made, easily assembled and disassembled, used for drinking, eating, stirring, mixing or as an amusement device.

With the present device, the fluid passageway extends to the tip or lower end of the device, enabling all of the fluid in a container to be withdrawn.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described,

I claim:

A two-member straw-spoon device, comprising: a spoon member being curved and having an inner concave surface and an outer, smooth, continuous convex surface, the inner concave surface being divided into substantially equal cavities by an integral, straight tubular straw engaging extension protruding from the concave surface and extending from the lower end to the upper end of the spoon member, the upper end of said tubular extension extending beyond the upper end of said spoon portion, and an elongated, straight, tubular, straw-handle member, frictionally engaging the upper end of said tubular straw receiving extension of said spoon membe and cooperating with said tubular extension to provide a continuous,

Patented June 12, 19 62 straight fluid passageway form one end of the device to References Cited in the file of this patent the other end, and said upper end of said extension being UNITED STATES PATENTS tapered for providing a frictional, wedging connection for the straw-handle member and provided with a trans- 214617 Brown 1879 verse shoulder for limiting the downward movement of 5 1490785 Pumell 1924 the Straw/handle memben 1,6O6,038 Norman 1926 1,666,106 Norman Apr. 17, 1928 2,334,535 Bandell Nov. 16, 1943 2,613,107 Hartnett Oct. 7, 1952 2.859.515 Kinman Nov. 11, 1958

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