Cookie-Dunking spoon

Abstract

A cookie-dunking spoon that attaches to a glass of a liquid, is held by a hand of a user, holds a cookie to be dunked in the liquid in the glass, drains the liquid from the cookie after the cookie has been dunked in the liquid in the glass, and cooperates with an interchangeable novelty item that has a depending through slot-engaging tab. The cookie-dunking spoon includes a handle and a tray. The handle attaches to the glass of the liquid, is held by the hand of the user, and cooperates with the interchangeable novelty item. The tray extends from the handle, holds the cookie to be dunked in the liquid in the glass, and drains the liquid from the cookie after the cookie has been dunked in the liquid in the glass. An alternate embodiment further includes a straw that extends along the handle.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cookie-dunking spoon for attaching to a glass of a liquid, for holding by a hand of a user, for holding a cookie to be dunked in the liquid in the glass, for draining the liquid from the cookie after the cookie has been dunked in the liquid in the glass, and for cooperating with an interchangeable novelty item having a depending through slot-engaging tab, said cookie-dunking spoon comprising:
 a) a handle; and   b) a tray;   wherein said handle is for attaching to the glass of the liquid;   wherein said handle is for being held by the hand of the user;   wherein said handle is for cooperating with the interchangeable novelty item;   wherein said tray extends from said handle;   wherein said tray is for holding the cookie to be dunked in the liquid in the glass; and   wherein said tray is for draining the liquid from the cookie after the cookie has been dunked in the liquid in the glass.   
     
     
         2 . The cookie-dunking spoon of  claim 1 , wherein said handle is:
 a) slender;   b) elongated;   c) narrow in plan view;   d) thin in side view; and   e) generally serpentine/generally Z-shape in side view.   
     
     
         3 . The cookie-dunking spoon of  claim 1 , wherein said handle has:
 a) a proximal end;   b) a distal end; and   c) an intermediate point;   wherein said proximal end of said handle is for being held by the hand of the user;   wherein said intermediate point of said handle is disposed between said proximal end of said handle and said distal end of said handle; and   wherein said intermediate point of said handle is for cooperating with the interchangeable novelty item.   
     
     
         4 . The cookie-dunking spoon of  claim 3 , wherein said handle has:
 a) an upper portion;   b) a lower portion; and   c) an intermediate portion;   wherein said upper portion of said handle is for being held by the hand of the user;   wherein said intermediate portion of said handle is disposed between said upper portion of said handle and said lower portion of said handle; and   wherein said intermediate portion of said handle is for cooperating with the interchangeable novelty item.   
     
     
         5 . The cookie-dunking spoon of  claim 4 , wherein said upper portion of said handle extends generally vertically downwardly from said proximal end of said handle, to a virtual terminal end. 
     
     
         6 . The cookie-dunking spoon of  claim 5 , wherein said intermediate portion of said handle extends generally horizontally forwardly from said virtual terminal end of said upper portion of said handle, to a virtual terminal end. 
     
     
         7 . The cookie-dunking spoon of  claim 6 , wherein said lower portion of said handle extends generally vertically downwardly from said virtual terminal end of said intermediate portion of said handle, to said distal end of said handle. 
     
     
         8 . The cookie-dunking spoon of  claim 3 , wherein said proximal end of said handle is a handle-holding spiral; and
 wherein said handle-holding spiral of said proximal end of said handle is for facilitating holding said handle by the hand of the user.   
     
     
         9 . The cookie-dunking spoon of  claim 6 , wherein said intermediate portion of said handle has a tab-receiving through slot; and
 wherein said tab-receiving through slot of said intermediate portion of said handle is for interchangeably receiving the through slot-engaging tab of the interchangeable novelty item.   
     
     
         10 . The cookie-dunking spoon of  claim 4 , wherein each of said upper portion of said handle, said intermediate portion of said handle, and said lower portion of said handle is generally straight. 
     
     
         11 . The cookie-dunking spoon of  claim 9 , wherein said virtual terminal end of said upper portion of said handle forms a smooth and concave arcuate bend, as said upper portion of said handle transitions to said intermediate portion of said handle. 
     
     
         12 . The cookie-dunking spoon of  claim 11 , wherein said virtual terminal end of said intermediate portion of said handle forms a smooth and convex arcuate bend, as said intermediate portion of said handle transitions to said lower portion of said handle. 
     
     
         13 . The cookie-dunking spoon of  claim 12 , wherein said handle has a tab. 
     
     
         14 . The cookie-dunking spoon of  claim 13 , wherein said tab of said handle depends from said intermediate portion of said handle;
 wherein said tab of said handle is disposed between said tab-receiving through slot of said intermediate portion of said handle and said smooth and convex arcuate bend of said intermediate portion of said handle;   wherein said tab of said handle is further disposed behind, and generally parallel to, said lower portion of said handle so as to form a glass-receiving slot therebetween having a mouth; and   wherein said glass-receiving slot of said handle is for receiving, so as to attach to, the glass of said liquid, via said mouth of said glass-receiving slot of said handle.   
     
     
         15 . The cookie-dunking spoon of  claim 8 , wherein said tray extends generally perpendicularly outwardly from said distal end of said handle; and
 wherein said tray extends in a direction opposite to said handle-holding spiral of said proximal end of said handle.   
     
     
         16 . The cookie-dunking spoon of  claim 1 , wherein said tray has a body;
 wherein said body of said tray is for holding the cookie to be dunked in the liquid in the glass; and   wherein said body of said tray is generally disc-shaped for generally matching that of the cookie.   
     
     
         17 . The cookie-dunking spoon of  claim 16 , wherein said body of said tray has liquid-draining perforations; and
 wherein said liquid-draining perforations of said body of said tray are for draining the liquid from the cookie after the cookie has been dunked in the liquid in the glass.   
     
     
         18 . The cookie-dunking spoon of  claim 3 , wherein said body said tray has a perimeter; and
 wherein said tray has a fence.   
     
     
         19 . The cookie-dunking spoon of  claim 18 , wherein said fence of said tray extends partially around said perimeter of said body of said tray, leaving a fenceless portion; and
 wherein said fence of said tray is for capturing the cookie on said tray.   
     
     
         20 . The cookie-dunking spoon of  claim 19 , wherein said fenceless portion of said fence of said tray extends at least 180° around said perimeter of said body of said tray;
 wherein said fenceless portion of said fence of said tray is disposed opposite to said distal end of said handle; and 
 wherein said fenceless portion of said fence of said tray is for allowing the cookie to be slide off of said tray after the cookie has been dunked in the liquid in the glass. 
 
     
     
         21 . The cookie-dunking spoon of  claim 13 , further comprising a straw;
 wherein said straw extends along said handle; and   wherein said straw is for being sipped by the mouth of the user.   
     
     
         22 . The cookie-dunking spoon of  claim 21 , wherein said straw is integral with said handle; and
 wherein said straw is one-piece with said handle.   
     
     
         23 . The cookie-dunking spoon of  claim 21 , wherein said straw is slender;
 wherein said straw is elongated; and   wherein said straw is generally serpentine/generally Z-shape in side view.   
     
     
         24 . The cookie-dunking spoon of  claim 21 , wherein said straw has:
 a) a proximal end;   b) a distal end; and   c) an intermediate point; and   wherein said intermediate point of said straw is disposed between said proximal end of said straw and said distal end of said straw.   
     
     
         25 . The cookie-dunking spoon of  claim 24 , wherein said straw has:
 a) an upper portion;   b) a lower portion; and   c) an intermediate portion; and   wherein said intermediate portion of said straw is disposed between said upper portion of said straw and said lower portion of said straw.   
     
     
         26 . The cookie-dunking spoon of  claim 25 , wherein said upper portion of said straw extends generally vertically downwardly from said proximal end of said straw, to a virtual terminal end; and
 wherein said upper portion of said straw extends contactingly along, and behind, said upper portion of said handle.   
     
     
         27 . The cookie-dunking spoon of  claim 26 , wherein said intermediate portion of said straw extends generally horizontally forwardly from said virtual terminal end of said upper portion of said straw, to a virtual terminal end; and
 wherein said intermediate portion of said straw extends contactingly along, and below, said intermediate portion of said handle.   
     
     
         28 . The cookie-dunking spoon of  claim 27 , wherein said lower portion of said straw extends generally vertically downwardly from said virtual terminal end of said intermediate portion of said straw, to said distal end of said straw; and
 wherein said lower portion of said straw extends contactingly along, and behind, said lower portion of said handle.   
     
     
         29 . The cookie-dunking spoon of  claim 25 , wherein each of said upper portion of said straw, said intermediate portion of said straw, and said lower portion of said straw is generally straight. 
     
     
         30 . The cookie-dunking spoon of  claim 26 , wherein said virtual terminal end of said upper portion of said straw forms a smooth and concave arcuate bend, as said upper portion of said straw transitions to said intermediate portion of said straw; and
 wherein said smooth and concave arcuate bend of said upper portion of said straw extends contactingly along, and behind, said smooth and concave arcuate bend of said upper portion of said handle.   
     
     
         31 . The cookie-dunking spoon of  claim 27 , wherein said virtual terminal end of said intermediate portion of said straw forms a smooth and convex arcuate bend, as said intermediate portion of said straw transitions to said lower portion of said straw; and
 wherein said smooth and convex arcuate bend of said intermediate portion of said straw extends contactingly along, and behind, said smooth and convex arcuate bend of said intermediate portion of said handle.   
     
     
         32 . The cookie-dunking spoon of  claim 24 , wherein said straw is a pair of spaced-apart straws so as to avoid blocking, by straddling, said tab-receiving through slot of said intermediate portion of said handle and to avoid, by straddling, said tab of said handle, as said straw extends along said handle. 
     
     
         33 . The cookie-dunking spoon of  claim 32 , wherein said pair of spaced-apart straws of said straw convergingly come together at said proximal end of said straw into a mouthpiece; and
 wherein said mouthpiece of said proximal end of said straw is for being sipped by the mouth of the user.   
     
     
         34 . The cookie-dunking spoon of  claim 32 , wherein said pair of spaced-apart straws of said straw convergingly come together at said distal end of said straw into a pickup.