US2016095455A1PendingUtilityA1

Shape Memory Safety Utensil

61
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Oct 6, 2014Filed: Oct 6, 2014Published: Apr 7, 2016
Est. expiryOct 6, 2034(~8.2 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Jahangir S. RastegarThomas Spinelli
A47G 21/04A47G 2021/008A47G 21/02
61
PatentIndex Score
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Claims

Abstract

A method for preventing holding of one or more of a hot liquid or hot food in a utensil. The method including: configuring a utensil portion for holding one or more of a liquid or food to have a first orientation relative to a handle portion when a temperature of a shape memory alloy neck portion connecting the utensil portion to the handle portion is below a transition temperature and changing the orientation of the utensil portion relative to the handle portion to a second orientation when the temperature of the shape memory alloy neck portion is greater than the transition temperature so as to not hold the liquid or food.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A spoon comprising:
 a handle portion; and   a head portion connected to the handle portion, wherein the head portion comprises:   a concave portion for holding one or more of a fluid or food; and   a shape memory alloy neck portion having one end connected to the concave portion and an other end connected to the handle portion in a first orientation when the shape memory alloy neck portion is at a temperature less than a transition temperature and in a second orientation when the shape memory alloy neck portion is at a temperature greater than the transition temperature, the first orientation being different from the second orientation.   
     
     
         2 . The spoon of  claim 1 , wherein the second orientation is offset 90 degrees relative to the first orientation. 
     
     
         3 . The spoon of  claim 1 , wherein the shape memory alloy neck portion is connected to the concave portion at an end of the concave portion. 
     
     
         4 . The spoon of  claim 1 , wherein the shape memory alloy neck portion is connected to the concave portion at a point between ends of the concave portion. 
     
     
         5 . The spoon of  claim 1 , wherein the shape memory alloy neck portion is a flat strip. 
     
     
         6 . The spoon of  claim 1 , wherein the shape memory alloy neck portion is one or more wires, each having the one end connected to the concave portion and the other end connected to the handle portion. 
     
     
         7 . The spoon of  claim 1 , wherein the concave portion is formed of a heat conductive material. 
     
     
         8 . The spoon of  claim 7 , wherein the heat conductive material is a metal. 
     
     
         9 . The spoon of  claim 1 , wherein the handle portion is formed of a heat insulating material. 
     
     
         10 . The spoon of  claim 9 , wherein the heat insulating material is a plastic. 
     
     
         11 . A utensil comprising:
 a handle portion; and   a head portion connected to the handle portion, wherein the head portion comprises:   a utensil portion for holding one or more of a fluid or food; and   a shape memory alloy neck portion having one end connected to the utensil portion and an other end connected to the handle portion in a first orientation when the shape memory alloy neck portion is at a temperature less than a transition temperature and in a second orientation when the shape memory alloy neck portion is at a temperature greater than the transition temperature, the first orientation being different from the second orientation.   
     
     
         12 . The utensil of  claim 11 , wherein the utensil portion is a concave spoon portion. 
     
     
         13 . The utensil of  claim 11 , wherein the second orientation is offset 90 degrees relative to the first orientation. 
     
     
         14 . The utensil of  claim 11 , wherein the shape memory alloy neck portion is connected to the utensil portion at an end of the utensil portion. 
     
     
         15 . The utensil of  claim 11 , wherein the shape memory alloy neck portion is connected to the utensil portion at a point between ends of the concave portion. 
     
     
         16 . The utensil of  claim 11 , wherein the shape memory alloy neck portion is a flat strip. 
     
     
         17 . The utensil of  claim 11 , wherein the shape memory alloy neck portion is one or more wires, each having the one end connected to the utensil portion and the other end connected to the handle portion. 
     
     
         18 . The utensil of  claim 11 , wherein the utensil portion is formed of a heat conductive material. 
     
     
         19 . The utensil of  claim 18 , wherein the heat conductive material is a metal. 
     
     
         20 . The utensil of  claim 11 , wherein the handle portion is formed of a heat insulating material. 
     
     
         21 . The utensil of  claim 20 , wherein the heat insulating material is a plastic. 
     
     
         22 . A method for preventing holding of one or more of a hot liquid or hot food in a utensil, the method comprising:
 configuring a utensil portion for holding one or more of a liquid or food to have a first orientation relative to a handle portion when a temperature of a shape memory alloy neck portion connecting the utensil portion to the handle portion is below a transition temperature; and   changing the orientation of the utensil portion relative to the handle portion to a second orientation when the temperature of the shape memory alloy neck portion is greater than the transition temperature so as to not hold the liquid or food.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the second orientation is offset  90  degrees relative to the first orientation.

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