Stackable cutlery

Abstract

A stackable cutlery utensil includes a utensil portion and a handle portion. The handle portion has opposing first and second ends, with the second end being adjacent the utensil portion. The handle portion further has opposing upper and lower surfaces. First and second protrusions project from the lower surface. A recess is included on the upper surface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A stackable cutlery utensil comprising:
 a utensil portion;   a handle portion, having opposing first and second ends, the second end being adjacent the utensil portion, and further having opposing upper and lower surfaces;   first and second protrusions projecting from the lower surface and spaced from one another to define an intervening space; and   a recess on the upper surface at the same axial location on the handle portion as at least one of the first and second protrusions.   
     
     
         2 . The stackable cutlery utensil of  claim 1  wherein the recess is provided at the same axial location on the handle portion as both of the first and second protrusions. 
     
     
         3 . The stackable cutlery utensil of  claim 2  wherein the recess comprises a single continuous recess. 
     
     
         4 . The stackable cutlery utensil of  claim 2  wherein the recess comprises first and second recesses, with the first recess corresponding to the first protrusion and the second recess corresponding to the second protrusion. 
     
     
         5 . The stackable cutlery utensil of  claim 1  wherein the intervening space comprises at least 60% of the length of the handle portion. 
     
     
         6 . The stackable cutlery utensil of  claim 5  wherein the intervening space comprises 80% of the length of the handle portion. 
     
     
         7 . The stackable cutlery utensil of  claim 5  wherein the first and second protrusions are adjacent the first and second ends, respectively, of the handle portion. 
     
     
         8 . The stackable cutlery utensil of  claim 7  wherein the first and second protrusions are located within the first and last 10% of the length of the handle portion, respectively. 
     
     
         9 . The stackable cutlery utensil of  claim 1  wherein the first and second protrusions are complementary in contour and axial location on the handle portion with the first and second ends. 
     
     
         10 . The stackable cutlery utensil of  claim 9  wherein the first and second protrusions have a U-shaped profile. 
     
     
         11 . A stack of stackable cutlery utensils, each of the stackable cutlery utensils comprising:
 a utensil portion;   a handle portion, having opposing first and second ends, the second end being adjacent the utensil portion, and further having opposing first and second surfaces;   first and second protrusions projecting from the first surface and spaced from one another to define an intervening space; and   a recess on the second surface at the same axial location on the handle portion as at least one of the first and second protrusions,   wherein the recess of a first utensil in the stack receives the at least one of the first and second protrusions of a second utensil in the stack to form a stacked configuration.   
     
     
         12 . The stack of stackable cutlery utensils of  claim 11  wherein the stacked configuration is a nested configuration. 
     
     
         13 . The stack of stackable cutlery utensils of  claim 12  wherein the first and second protrusions of the second utensil are received within and abut the first and second ends of the first utensil. 
     
     
         14 . The stack of stackable cutlery utensils of  claim 13  wherein the first and second protrusions of the second utensil are resiliently retained by the first and second ends of the first utensil. 
     
     
         15 . The stack of stackable cutlery utensils of  claim 14  wherein the first and second protrusions of the second utensil being resiliently retained by the first and second ends of the first utensil comprises at least one of an interference fit, a locking fit, or a snap fit between the first and second utensils. 
     
     
         16 . The stack of stackable cutlery utensils of  claim 11  wherein the first and second protrusions of the second utensil are complementary in contour and axial location on the handle portion with the first and second ends of the first utensil. 
     
     
         17 . The stack of stackable cutlery utensils of  claim 16  wherein the first and second protrusions have a U-shaped profile. 
     
     
         18 . The stack of stackable cutlery utensils of  claim 11  wherein the first and second utensils are the same type of utensil. 
     
     
         19 . The stack of stackable cutlery utensils of  claim 11  wherein the first and second utensils are different types of utensils. 
     
     
         20 . The stack of stackable cutlery utensils of  claim 11  wherein the first surface is a lower surface of the handle portion and the second surface is an upper surface of the handle portion.