Spoon

Abstract

A spoon for feeding an infant or an invalid has an elastic bladder that is compressed to distend a pliable bowl from a food conveying position to a food transfer position to positively transfer food into the mouth of the infant or invalid being fed.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A spoon, comprising:
 a handle that supports an elastic bladder;   a pliable bowl that is connected to the handle, the bowl having a outer surface, an inner surface, and a void that at least partially separates the outer surface from the inner surface; and   a fluid passage that provides fluid communication between the elastic bladder and the void;   whereby manual compression of the elastic bladder transfers fluid from the elastic bladder to the void to move the pliable bowl from a food conveying position toward a food transfer position.   
     
     
         2 . The spoon as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the elastic bladder is on a top surface of the handle. 
     
     
         3 . The spoon as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the elastic bladder is on a side surface of the handle. 
     
     
         4 . The spoon as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the elastic bladder is on opposite side surfaces of the handle. 
     
     
         5 . The spoon as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the elastic bladder is on a bottom surface of the handle. 
     
     
         6 . The spoon as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the handle comprises a core of a first plastic material and an outer surface of a second, softer plastic material that provides a slip-resistant grip. 
     
     
         7 . The spoon as claimed in  claim 6  wherein the second plastic material forms the inner surface and the outer surface of the bowl. 
     
     
         8 . The spoon as claimed in  claim 7  wherein the second plastic material comprises a food-grade silicone rubber composition. 
     
     
         9 . The spoon as claimed in  claim 8  wherein the fluid passage is formed in the first plastic material and the elastic bladder is formed of the second plastic material. 
     
     
         10 . The spoon as claimed in  claim 9  wherein the first plastic material extends past the handle under the inner surface of the bowl. 
     
     
         11 . The spoon as claimed in  claim 9  wherein the first plastic material extends past the handle under the inner surface of the bowl and is bonded to a portion of the outer surface of the bowl. 
     
     
         12 . A spoon comprising:
 a handle;   an elastic bladder;   a pliable bowl that is an extension of the handle, the pliable bowl having an outer surface and an inner surface that are at least partially separated by a void; and   a fluid passage that provides fluid communication between the elastic bladder and the void;   whereby compression of the elastic bladder transfers fluid from the elastic bladder to the void to deform the pliable bowl from a food conveying position in which the inner surface is concave toward a food transfer position in which the inner surface is substantially flat.   
     
     
         13 . The spoon as claimed in  claim 12  wherein the elastic bladder is on a top surface of the handle. 
     
     
         14 . The spoon as claimed in  claim 12  wherein the elastic bladder is on at least one side surface of the handle. 
     
     
         15 . The spoon as claimed in  claim 12  wherein the elastic bladder is on a bottom surface of the handle. 
     
     
         16 . The spoon as claimed in  claim 12  wherein the handle comprises a core of a first plastic material and an outer surface of a second, softer plastic material that provides a slip-resistant grip, and the second plastic material forms the inner surface and the outer surface of the bowl. 
     
     
         17 . The spoon as claimed in  claim 16  wherein the second plastic material comprises one or more of a silicone rubber composition and a butyl rubber copolymer. 
     
     
         18 . The spoon as claimed in  claim 16  wherein the fluid passage is formed in the first plastic material and the elastic bladder is formed of the second plastic material. 
     
     
         19 . A spoon comprising:
 a handle;   a pliable bowl that is an extension of the handle, the pliable bowl having an outer surface and an inner surface that are at least partially separated by a void filled with a fluid;   an elastic bladder filled with the fluid; and   a fluid passage filled with the fluid and providing fluid communication between the elastic bladder and the void so that compression of the elastic bladder transfers the fluid from the elastic bladder to the void to distend the pliable bowl from a food conveying position to a food transfer position and releasing the elastic bladder returns the fluid to the elastic bladder and the pliable bowl to the food conveying position.   
     
     
         20 . The spoon as claimed in  claim 19  wherein the elastic bladder is supported by the handle and the fluid passage extends through the handle between the elastic bladder and the void.