Gravity chopsticks
View Patent ↗A chopstick having a handling portion and an eating portion. The handling portion may be made from a first material. The eating portion may be made from a second material that is lighter than the first material. The handling portion may be attached to the eating portion. A pivot point may exist at a connection point between the handling portion and the eating portion. When the chopstick is placed on a horizontal surface, the eating portion may be elevated above a horizontal surface due to the first and second material properties and the pivot point configuration. Thus ensuring that the eating portion of the chopstick remains sanitary and clean, free of germs and dirt.
1. A chopstick having a length along a longitudinal axis comprising:
the longitudinal axis including a handling portion adjacent an eating portion between a proximal end and distal end
the handling portion extending along a first part of the longitudinal axis for a first length that is ergonomically accommodating to different users and including a proximal end and a distal end, its proximal end at the longitudinal axis proximal end;
the adjacent eating portion extending along a second, different part of the longitudinal axis for a second length including a proximal end and a distal end, its proximal end adjacent the handling section distal end, its distal end at the longitudinal axis distal end, and the second length greater than the first length, and the sum of the first length and the second length equal to the longitudinal axis length;
a pivot point located between the handling portion distal end and the eating portion proximal end;
wherein the handling portion has a heavier fixed mass than the eating section to ensure that the center of mass of the chopstick is on the handling portion so when the chopstick is placed on a horizontal surface, the eating portion is elevated above the horizontal surface about the pivot point, and the handling portion and the eating portion are physically separate elements that are securely coupled together at the handling portion distal end and the eating portion proximal end.
2. The chopstick as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the handling portion is tapered from its distal end to its proximal end and the eating portion is tapered from its proximal end to its distal end.
3. The chopstick as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the handling portion distal end and the eating portion proximal end are coupled together via a rod.
4. The chopstick as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the handling portion distal end and the eating portion proximal end each includes an elongated hole sized for the rod to be securely inserted into to form the chopstick.
5. The chopstick as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the eating portion proximal end elongated hole is longer in length than the handling portion distal end elongated hole and the rod is sized so it is inserted further into the eating portion proximal end elongated hole than it is inserted into the handling portion distal end elongated hole when the chopstick is formed.
6. The chopstick as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the handling portion is monolithic and made from a first material and the eating portion is monolithic and made from a second material different from the first material.
7. The chopstick as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the first material has a higher density than the second material.
8. The chopstick as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the first material is a metallic material.
9. The chopstick as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the handling portion consists primarily of a first material, the eating portion consists primarily of a second material different from the first material, and the first material has a higher density than the second material.
10. The chopstick as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the first material is a metallic material.