Food Bowl

The present invention relates to food bowls, to dining sets including such bowls, and to methods of manufacture of food bowls and dining sets.

People with restricted motor skills, such as the elderly, the disabled and babies/young children can have great difficulty in performing many ordinary activities, such as the preparation and consumption of food. Parents are well aware of the difficulties in teaching small children to learn to eat using dining utensils. Further, recent media reports have identified that many elderly patients in hospital are at risk of malnutrition, as they are unable to eat sufficient amounts of the food that is placed in front of them. Malnutrition can seriously set back the recovery of the patient, requiring the patients to spend longer in hospitals, and increasing the drain of hospital resources.

Various feeding dishes have been proposed to facilitate the consumption of food by those with restricted motor skills. For example, US 5,580,037 describes a food preparation and serving plate which includes various features such as a crossbar for providing leverage for a knife, and spikes for supporting food, to assist people with disabilities to prepare food or load food items onto a utensil for consumption.

US 2,683,974 and Japanese patent application number 05-115132 (publication number 06-284951) both describe feeding dishes having a turned-over rim or lip, to assist a person in loading a utensil with food.

It is an aim of embodiments of the present invention to provide a food bowl arranged to facilitate at least one of the preparation and consumption of food by a person.

In a first aspect, the present invention provides a food bowl comprising a base and at least one side wall, wherein said at least one side wall defines a recess for receiving the head of a dining utensil.

Providing such a recess allows a user to easily trap food with the dining utensil. For example, small items of food may be easily trapped in the recess, and lifted from the recess using a dining utensil such as a spoon. The bowl can thus facilitate the preparation or consumption of food by a user.

Said recess may comprise a lip overhanging the base.

An upper portion of the recess may be narrower than a lower portion of the recess.

Said at least one side wall may define a first side and a second side, the recess defining a corner where the first and second sides meet.

Said dining utensil may be a spoon.

The recess may be shaped to accommodate at least thirty percent of the total periphery of the head of the dining utensil, with a clearance of less than 2mm between said at least thirty percent of the periphery of the head and the adjacent side wall defining the recess.

The sidewall defining the recess may be shaped to provide a sliding fit to at least thirty percent of the periphery of the head of the dining utensil as the head of the dining utensil is moved through at least a portion of the recess.

Said recess may be concave.

Said sidewall may define a lip overhanging the base.

Said sidewall may define at least one side extending arcuately around the periphery of the bowl.

Said sidewall may define a side shaped to receive the head of the dining utensil with a sliding fit, as the dining utensil is moved along said sidewall.

The bowl may comprise an odd number of sides.

A portion of the base may extend into the recess, that portion being the lowest portion of the base within the bowl.

The highest portion of the base may be located in the centre of the bowl.

The base may be non-planar, and contoured for directing liquid placed in the bowl towards the periphery of the bowl.

The base may be non-planar, and contoured for directing liquid placed in the bowl towards said recess.

The device may also comprise a clamping means for releasably coupling the bowl to a surface.

In a second aspect, the present invention provides a dining set comprising a food bowl as described above, and said dining utensil.

In a third aspect, the present invention provides a method of manufacturing a food bowl, comprising the steps of forming a base and at least one side wall, wherein said at least one side wall defines a recess for receiving a head of a dining utensil.

In a fourth aspect, the present invention provides a method of manufacturing a dining set, comprising manufacturing a food bowl as described above and further comprising the step of manufacturing the dining utensil.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a food bowl in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 A is a radial cross-section of the food bowl of Figure 1, along the radially extending line 122;

Figure 2B is a radial cross-section of the food bowl of Figure 1, along the radially extending line 124;

Figures 3 A and 3 B are respectively a plan view and a radial cross-sectional view showing the food bowl of Figure 1 in use with a spoon lifting food from a recess of the food bowl;

Figure 4 is a radial cross-section view of the food bowl of Figure 1 in use, showing a spoon being used to scrape food around the periphery of the bowl;

Figure 5 is a plan view of a food bowl in accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention; and

Figure 6 is a plan view of a food bowl in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a food bowl 100 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The bowl 100 comprises a sidewall 102 extending (generally upwards) from a base 104. The sidewall 102 extends around the periphery of the base 104 to define a vessel capable of holding solid or liquid food.

In this particular embodiment, the sides are defined by a single sidewall 102. The sidewall 102 defines the circumference of the bowl 100.

The food bowl 100 has three sides A, B, C. Each side is approximately equal in length. The food bowl 100 thus has a substantially triangular outline.

The sidewall 102 defines a recess 110 positioned at each apex or corner of the food bowl 100.

Each recess is shaped to receive the head of a particular dining utensil, such as a fork or spoon. The sidewall 102 defines a recess having a similar shape to at least a portion of the outline (or external boundary) of a portion of the head of the dining utensil.

The recess can be shaped such that as the dining utensil is utilised to scoop food from the recess, with the head of the utensil placed in sliding contact with the sidewall portion defining the recess, at least thirty percent of the perimeter of the head of the utensil will move in sliding contact with that portion of the sidewall.

Alternatively, rather than the recess (or the sidewall portion defining the recess) being shaped and sized to receive the head of the utensil in sliding contact with that portion of the sidewall, the sidewall (or at least the sidewall portion defining the recess) could be shaped and sized so as to allow the head of the utensil (or at least a predetermined portion of the perimeter of the head of the utensil, such as 30% of the perimeter) to be in close proximity to the sidewall as the head of the utensil is moved through the recess e.g. as the head of the utensil is lifted from a lower portion of the recess to an upper portion of the recess, and even moved out of the recess by a user.

Preferably, the recess is arranged such that at least forty percent (and even more preferably at least fifty percent, or even sixty percent or more) of the perimeter of the head will move in sliding contact with, or in close proximity to, the portion of the sidewall defining the recess. The recess, or at least the sidewall portion defining the recess, is preferably sized and shaped such that between 30% and 60% (and more preferably, between 30% and 50%) of the perimeter of the head will move in sliding

contact with, or move in close proximity to, the portion of the sidewall defining the recess.

Such a sliding contact, or close proximity, can occur as the head of the dining utensil (e.g. the bowl of a spoon or the tines of a fork) is moved along the sidewall over a distance corresponding to ten percent of the height of the sidewall. Preferably, the distance over which this sliding fit, or close proximity, occurs is adjacent to the upper edge or lip of the sidewall, more preferably this distance extends from the upper lip of the sidewall. Preferably, the distance over which this sliding fit, or close proximity, occurs is over at least thirty percent, over at least forty percent, over at least fifty percent, or over at least sixty percent of the sidewall height. The sliding fit, or close proximity, can be achieved over the whole of the recess (i.e. the complete distance/height of the sidewall defining the recess) as the dining utensil is used to scoop food from the portion of the base adjacent the recess, and lift food from the bowl. The recess can thus act as a guide for the scooping motion for assisting children in learning the correct technique for lifting food from a bowl. The recess can also thus act as a guide to facilitate the trapping and lifting of food from the bowl for the infirm.

Most preferably, an upper portion (e.g. the topmost portion) of the recess is narrower than a lower portion (e.g. the lowest portion) of the recess. Preferably, the upper portion is arranged to provide said sliding fit with, or to be in said close proximity to, said portion of the perimeter of the head of the utensil. Thus, as the utensil is lifted from the lower, broader portion of the recess into the upper, narrower portion of the recess, food may be scraped or dislodged by the adjacent sidewall portion defining the recess, to assist users in ensuring that the head of the utensil (e.g. the bowl of a spoon) is not overfilled with food.

In the particular embodiment shown, each recess 110 is substantially identical, and arranged for receiving the head of a spoon (i.e. the bowl portion of a spoon) associated with that bowl 100. However, in other embodiments, different recesses within a bowl can be shaped for receiving the heads of different dining utensils

associated with the bowl (e.g. in the same dining set). For example, the bowl can have one recess arranged to receive the head of a teaspoon, another recess arranged to receive the head of a desert spoon, and a third recess arranged to receive the head of a fork.

Preferably, to assist in the scooping motion, the head of the dining utensil can be slid along the base of the bowl into the recess e.g. into the lowest portion of the recess.

The base 104 of the food bowl 100 is shaped to direct food (particularly liquids) towards the periphery of the food bowl i.e. to adjacent to the side wall 102. In this particular embodiment, the base 104 is further shaped to direct food not just towards the bowl periphery, but into the portion of the base adjacent to (or within) the recess 110, so as to facilitate the removal of food from the recess. Such shaping can be achieved by appropriate contouring of the internal surface of the base 104.

For example, the portion of the base 120 located at the centre of the food bowl can form the highest portion of the base (when the food bowl is in normal use e.g. located on a horizontal surface). The portion of the base adjacent to each recess 110 can form the lowest portion of the base 104. The base can be contoured such that a valley 122 descends from the centre towards each recess 110. Similarly, a ridge 124 can descend between each valley e.g. from the bowl centre 120 towards the centre of each of sides A, B, C. Thus, with the base defining such ridges and valleys, and preferably with the internal surface of the base smoothly varied between ridges 124 and valleys 122, liquid food will flow towards the portions of the base 104 adjacent to the recess 110 (from which the food can easily be lifted for consumption). Such contouring of the base 104 will also facilitate the movement of solid food towards the periphery of the bowl, and into the portion of the bowl adjacent the recess.

Figures 2A and 2B show respectively radial cross-sections of the bowl from the centre 120 along a valley 122 and a ridge 124. hi the examples shown, the base is assumed to have a substantially planar lower (bottom or outer) surface 104b. Such a

planar surface 104b facilitates placing the bowl on an appropriate surface (such as a table surface) when in use. In particular applications, it may include a clamping means (e.g. a clamp or a suction cup for releasably coupling the bowl to a table surface or other similar surface).

The upper surface 104a of the base 104 defines the internal lower surface of the bowl 100 i.e. the internal lower surface of the bowl 100. In the examples shown, the valley and ridge are indicated as extending at a constant angle (respectively O ₁ and θ ₂ ) to the horizontal. However, in other embodiments, the angle of the ridges and valleys can vary with distance along the ridge/valley.

Figures 2A and 2B also indicate the different internal profiles provided by the sidewall 102 at the recess 110 compared with the side 112. It will be seen that in both positions the sidewall 102 defines a lip overhanging the base. The sidewall 102 in each instance extends continuously from the base 104 to the overhanging lip. The Figures show the angles F ₁ , F ₂ the tangent to the lip makes with the horizontal (assuming the bowl is in normal use, and placed on a horizontal surface). It will be seen that the sidewall defines a lip having a greater overhang than the lip of the recess 110 (i.e. F i is greater than F ₂ ). As can be seen, the lip extends inwardly towards the radial centre of the bowl so as to define an overhang. Preferably, the radial depth of the overhang is between 1 & 6mm, and more preferably between 2 & 4mm deep. The radial depth is the radial distance relative to the bowl base between the lip edge and the portion of the inner sidewall surface beneath that overhang. Preferably, the lip angle of the recess F ₂ is between zero degrees (i.e. with the lip extending horizontally) and forty five degrees.

Preferably the lip angle of the sidewall F i is between forty degrees and eighty degrees; such a range of angles facilitates the locating of food on the head of the dining utensil as the food is lifted from the bowl, but does not unduly trap the food and interfere with the movement of the food. Further, if the lip extends around at least thirty percent of the periphery of the dining utensil head when in use, then the lip will

help dislodge food from the head that protrudes from the head, thus facilitating the consumption of food.

Figures 3A and 3B show respectively a plan view and a cross-sectional view as food 210 is scooped from the recess 110 using a spoon 200. The spoon 200 comprises a head 202 (i.e. a bowl) and a handle 204. During use, the spoon 200 will be moved by a user such that the head 202 scoops up the food 210 from the base 104 portion adjacent the recess 110. The periphery 203 of the bowl 202 (i.e. the periphery of the head that is substantially circular, and extends to and from the spoon handle 204) is located in either sliding contact with, or in close proximity to, the sidewall 102 during the scooping motion.

Thus, the arcuate cross-section of the sidewall 102 from the base 104 to the lip assists in a user in performing the correct scooping motion, and locating the food 210 of 202 of the dining utensil. It will be observed in Figure 3 A that a substantial portion of the periphery 203 is in contact with, or in close proximity to, the side wall 202 as the scooping action is performed.

As shown in Figure 4, along the sides A, B, C, the side wall 102 is shaped so as to receive the head of a dining utensil as the dining utensil is moved transverse the side i.e. as the dining utensil is moved laterally within the bowl 100 (e.g. to scoop out the bowl sides). Typically, the sidewall 102 extends in an arcuate shape 112 from the base 104 to the overhanging lip. Such an arcuate shape is arranged to receive (preferably with a sliding fit) at least a portion (e.g. thirty percent or forty percent) of the head of the dining utensil. Typically, the sidewall 102 will be shaped to receive the head (or the periphery of the head) of the dining utensil as the dining utensil is moved laterally, with the head being angled transverse, but not perpendicular to, the horizontal. Preferably, each side extends arcuately (in a radial direction from the bowl centre 120). Providing a side A, B, C having such a shape assists a user in moving food using the dining utensil around the periphery of the bowl e.g. to locate the food in the recess for easy scooping/lifting of the food from the bowl.

It will be appreciated that the above embodiment is described by way of example only, and that various alternatives would be apparent to the skilled person as falling within the scope of the appended claims.

For example, in the above embodiment the head of the dining utensil is generally described as having a sliding fit with respect to at least a portion of the sidewall/recess. In some embodiments, the sidewall or the recess could be shaped to not provide a sliding fit, but instead with the head portion in close proximity to the recess/sidewall i.e. with a small clearance between the portion of the head and the sidewall or recess e.g. a clearance or tolerance of 3mm, or 2mm, or lmm, or 0.5mm, or 0.1mm or less. Most preferably, the small clearance is between 1 and 3mm, around a predetermined portion (e.g. 30-60% of the perimeter, or 30-50% of the perimeter) of the head of the dining utensil, and more preferably about 2mm clearance or tolerance between the relevant portion of the head and the adjacent sidewall portion defining the recess.

In the preferred embodiment, the bowl is described as having three sides A, B, C defined by a single sidewall 102. It will be appreciated that a bowl can be defined having any number of sidewalls, which can define any number of sides. For example, Figure 5 shows a bowl 300 having four sides of equal length, defined by a single sidewall 302, with a recess 310 located in each corner. For increased stability, preferably the bowl has an odd number of sides.

It should be appreciated that a bowl need not be formed generally as a polygon, but could be formed generally as an ellipse, circle, or any combination of shapes. For example, Figure 6 shows a bowl 400 having a sidewall 402 which is generally shaped as an ellipse, with a recess 410 being defined in a portion of the ellipse by the sidewall 402.

The base of the bowl could be planar, and extend horizontally. However, preferably, the base is arranged to direct fluid towards (or into) the recess(es). For example, in the bowl 400, the centre 420 of the bowl could be raised so as to direct

food towards the periphery, with the base portions positioned adjacent the periphery/sidewall 402 being in turn angled to direct food towards the recess 410. Alternatively, the whole of the base 404 could be angled to direct food towards the recess 410. The portion of the base adjacent the recess 410 would be the lowest portion. The portion of the base opposite to the recess 410 would be the highest portion. The base would extend smoothly between the highest and lowest portions.

In the preferred embodiment, it is assumed that the sidewalls extend around the periphery of the bowl at a uniform height. However, in alternative embodiments, the height(s) of the sidewall(s) can vary around the bowl. For example, in one embodiment a sidewall, or a portion of a sidewall, is lower than (e.g. 50% of the height of) the sidewall (or portion of the sidewall) diametrically opposite. Preferably, the height of the sidewall(s) between the highest and lowest portions smoothly varies from the height of the lowest portion to the height of the diametrically opposite highest portion. Such a configuration can assist the infirm, by providing a lower sidewall for obtaining access to the bowl with a utensil. The higher, opposite sidewall can facilitate the trapping of food. The higher sidewall can define a recess as described herein.

The food bowl and the dining utensil can be manufactured using known techniques. Preferably, the food bowl and/or the utensil is formed of a plastic such as melamine. Preferably, the bowl is formed using a moulding operation. In such an instance, it is preferable that the bowl is formed using a material having some elasticity during the formation process, so as to facilitate the formation of the overhanging lip of the bowl, and in particular so as to facilitate the extraction of the mould insert from within the bowl, while still retaining the overhanging lip. Suitable materials include ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) and/or polypropylene.