Thumb-mountable protective utensil system and kit

Abstract

A thumb-mountable protective utensil system and kit comprises a protective housing, a utensil mount and one or more utensil elements, each of which may be attachable to and detachable from the mount. The housing includes a cavity configured to generally conformingly receive a tip segment of a human thumb for snug securement of the housing thereto. The system is adapted to provide protection from cuts, and can accommodate a variety of thumb sizes by incorporating one or more shim elements which are capable of being attached to and removed from the housing. Examples of variations on the utensil element may include a spiked utensil, a grater utensil and a peeler utensil.

1 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A thumb-mountable protective utensil kit comprising:
 a housing including an upper portion, a lower portion, a cavity defined generally therebetween, a forward end, an open rearward end, the cavity being configured to generally conformingly receive a tip segment of a human thumb by way of the open rearward end for releasable securement of the tip segment within the cavity such that the palmar aspect of the thumb faces the lower portion, the housing including laterally-disposed utensil mount grooves, the lower portion having a curved surface and a multiplicity of spikes extending outwardly therefrom in respective directions normal to the curved surface.   
     
     
         23 . A thumb-mountable protective utensil kit as defined in  claim 22  further comprising a utensil mount adapted to slidably engage the utensil mount grooves, the utensil mount having a peeling utensil connected thereto. 
     
     
         24 . A thumb-mountable protective utensil kit as defined in  claim 22  further comprising a multiplicity of shim elements substantially made of resiliently compressible material and having respective thicknesses which vary from one another, and wherein
 the housing includes a first axis extending from the forward end toward the open rearward end; 
 the cavity has a cavity cross-section being generally orthogonal to the first axis; and 
 the shim elements are each removably attachable to the housing for reducing the cavity cross-section such that the greater the thickness of the respective shim element, the greater the reduction in the cavity cross-section. 
 
     
     
         25 . A thumb-mountable protective utensil kit as defined in  claim 22  wherein the upper and lower portions are separate portions of an integrally-formed component. 
     
     
         26 . A thumb-mountable protective utensil kit as defined in  claim 25  wherein the upper and lower portions are connected by way of a living hinge. 
     
     
         27 . A thumb-mountable protective utensil kit as defined in  claim 22  further comprising a clip element, wherein the lower portion includes two laterally-opposed shoulders, the clip element is adapted to slidingly engage each of the shoulders and extend across at least a portion of an outer surface of the upper portion, and the clip element is formed of a material substantially resistant to cuts from sharp blades during slicing operations. 
     
     
         28 . A thumb-mountable protective utensil kit comprising:
 a housing including an upper portion, a lower portion, a cavity defined generally therebetween, a forward end, an open rearward end, the cavity being configured to generally conformingly receive a tip segment of a human thumb by way of the open rearward end for releasable securement of the tip segment within the cavity such that the palmar aspect of the thumb faces the lower portion, the housing including laterally-disposed utensil mount grooves, the lower portion having a curved surface and a multiplicity of spikes extending outwardly therefrom in respective directions normal to the curved surface;   a utensil mount adapted to slidably engage the utensil mount grooves, the utensil mount having a peeling utensil connected thereto; and   a multiplicity of shim elements substantially made of resiliently compressible material and having respective thicknesses which vary from one another;   wherein the housing includes a first axis extending from the forward end toward the open rearward end, the cavity has a cavity cross-section being generally orthogonal to the first axis; and the shim elements are each removably attachable to the housing for reducing the cavity cross-section such that the greater the thickness of the respective shim element, the greater the reduction in the cavity cross-section.   
     
     
         29 . A thumb-mountable protective utensil kit as defined in  claim 28  wherein the upper and lower portions are separate portions of an integrally-formed component. 
     
     
         30 . A thumb-mountable protective utensil kit as defined in  claim 29  wherein the upper and lower portions are connected by way of a living hinge. 
     
     
         31 . A thumb-mountable protective utensil kit as defined in  claim 28  further comprising a clip element, wherein the lower portion includes two laterally-opposed shoulders, the clip element is adapted to slidingly engage each of the shoulders and extend across at least a portion of an outer surface of the upper portion, and the clip element is formed of a material substantially resistant to cuts from sharp blades during slicing operations. 
     
     
         32 . A thumb-mountable protective utensil system comprising:
 a housing including an upper portion, a lower portion, a cavity defined generally therebetween, a forward end, an open rearward end, and a first axis extending from the forward end toward the open rearward end, the cavity being configured to generally conformingly receive a tip segment of a human thumb by way of the open rearward end for releasable securement of the tip segment within the cavity such that the palmar aspect of the thumb faces the lower portion, the upper portion including an extension flange configured to extend beyond the open rearward end in a rearward direction approximately parallel to the first axis;   a utensil mount rigidly connected to the lower portion and including a pair of rail portions laterally disposed along a first plane; and   a utensil element including a pair of laterally disposed grooves adapted to simultaneously slidingly receive the rail portions for placement of the utensil element in engagement with the utensil mount.   
     
     
         33 . A thumb-mountable protective utensil system as defined in  claim 32  wherein the housing further includes opposing lateral sides and a second axis, the second axis extending between the lateral sides and being orthogonal to the first axis, the utensil element includes an operative face generally extending along a second plane, and the utensil element and utensil mount are adapted such that the second plane is angularly offset from the first axis by a first angle and from the second axis by a second angle when the utensil element is in engagement with the utensil mount, the first angle being approximately between 5 and 40 degrees and the second angle being approximately between 5 and 30 degrees. 
     
     
         34 . A thumb-mountable protective utensil system as defined in  claim 32  wherein the utensil element is selected from the group consisting of a spiked utensil, a grating utensil and a peeling utensil. 
     
     
         35 . A thumb-mountable protective utensil system as defined in  claim 32  wherein the upper and lower portions are separate portions of an integrally-formed component. 
     
     
         36 . A thumb-mountable protective utensil system as defined in  claim 35  wherein the upper and lower portions are connected by way of a living hinge. 
     
     
         37 . A thumb-mountable protective utensil system as defined in  claim 32  further comprising a clip element, wherein the housing includes two laterally-opposed shoulders, the clip element is adapted to slidingly engage each of the shoulders and extend across at least a portion of an outer surface of the upper portion, and the clip element is formed of a material substantially resistant to cuts from sharp blades during slicing operations. 
     
     
         38 . A thumb-mountable protective utensil system as defined in  claim 37  wherein the clip element is formed of metal. 
     
     
         39 . A thumb-mountable protective utensil system as defined in  claim 32  wherein the cavity has a cavity cross-section orthogonal to the first axis, and the system further comprises a shim element made of resiliently compressible material and being removably attachable to the housing for reducing the cavity cross-section.