Training Chopsticks

Abstract

Training chopsticks including a lower chopstick having a longitudinal end, an oppositely longitudinal end, an upper side, a lower side, a lateral side, and an oppositely lateral side; an upper chopstick having an upper side, a lower side, a longitudinal end, an oppositely longitudinal end, a lateral side, and an oppositely lateral side; at least a first arm having proximal and distal ends, the at least first arm's proximal end being fixedly attached to or formed wholly with the lower chopstick; a longitudinally extending slide track fixedly attached to or formed wholly with the upper chopstick; and a pin fixedly attached to or formed wholly with the at least first arm's distal end, the pin operatively engaging the longitudinally extending slide track.

1 . Training chopsticks comprising;
 (a) A lower chopstick having a longitudinal end, an oppositely longitudinal end, an upper side, a lower side, a lateral side, and an oppositely lateral side;   (b) An upper chopstick having an upper side, a lower side, a longitudinal end, an oppositely longitudinal end, a lateral side, and an oppositely lateral side;   (c) At least a first arm having proximal and distal ends, said arm's proximal end being fixedly attached to or formed wholly with the lower chopstick;   (d) A longitudinally extending slide track fixedly attached to or formed wholly with the upper chopstick; and   (e) Mounting means fixedly attached to or formed wholly with the at least first arm's distal end, said means operatively engaging the longitudinally extending slide track.   
     
     
         2 . The training chopsticks of  claim 1  wherein the at least a first arm has a middle portion spanning between its proximal and distal ends, said middle portion being oppositely laterally bowed. 
     
     
         3 . The training chopsticks of  claim 1  wherein the longitudinally extending slide track comprises an at least first channel opening at a chopstick side selected from the group consisting of the upper chopstick's lower side, the upper chopstick's upper side, the upper chopstick's lateral side, and the upper chopstick's oppositely lateral side. 
     
     
         4 . The training chopsticks of  claim 3  wherein the mounting means comprise at least a first pin having proximal and distal ends, the proximal end of the at least first pin being fixedly attached to or formed wholly with the at least first arm's distal end, the distal end of the at least first pin extending into the at least first channel. 
     
     
         5 . The training chopsticks of  claim 4  wherein the mounting first pin is canted laterally at an acute angle from a line extending from the lower chopstick to the upper chop stick. 
     
     
         6 . The trainining chopsticks of  claim 5  wherein the acute angle is approximately 15 degrees. 
     
     
         7 . The training chopsticks of  claim 4  wherein the at least first pin has a longitudinal end having a lateral width, wherein said pin has an oppositely longitudinal end having a lateral width, wherein said pin has a middle portion having a lateral width, and wherein the lateral widths of the lateral and oppositely lateral ends are less than that of the middle portion. 
     
     
         8 . The training chopsticks of  claim 7  further comprising an alignment channel extending into and opening at the at least first pin, the alignment channel being position between at least first pin's longitudinal and oppositely longitudinal ends. 
     
     
         9 . The training chopsticks of  claim 3  further comprising a longitudinally facing stop fixedly attached to or formed wholly with the upper chopstick, the longitudinally facing stop being adapted for limiting longitudinal motion of the upper chopstick with respect to the lower chopstick. 
     
     
         10 . The training chopsticks of  claim 9  further comprising an oppositely longitudinally facing stop fixedly attached to or formed wholly with the upper chopstick, the oppositely longitudinally facing stop being adapted for limiting oppositely longitudinal motion of the upper chopstick with respect to the lower chopstick. 
     
     
         11 . The training chopsticks of  claim 10  further comprising an upwardly facing stop fixedly attached to or formed wholly with the at least first pin, the upwardly facing stop being adapted for limiting upward motion of the upper chopstick with respect to the lower chopstick. 
     
     
         12 . The training chopsticks of  claim 11  further comprising a downwardly facing stop fixedly attached to or formed wholly with the at least first pin, the downwardly facing stop being adapted for limiting downward motion of the upper chopstick with respect to the lower chopstick. 
     
     
         13 . The training chopsticks of  claim 12  wherein the at least first channel has oppositely longitudinal and longitudinal walls, the longitudinally facing stop and the oppositely longitudinally facing stop respectively comprising said walls. 
     
     
         14 . The training chopsticks of  claim 3  wherein the at least first channel has a lateral wall and an oppositely lateral wall, such walls respectively forming an oppositely laterally extending apex and a laterally extending apex. 
     
     
         15 . The training chopsticks of  claim 3  further comprising a second channel extending into the upper chopstick, the second channel opening oppositely from the at least first channel's opening. 
     
     
         16 . The training chopsticks of  claim 15  wherein the at least first and second channels communicate with each other. 
     
     
         17 . The training chopsticks of  claim 16  wherein the at least first pin further extends through the second channel. 
     
     
         18 . The training chopsticks of  claim 17  wherein the at least first and second channels present a plurality of rotation stopping faces, said faces engaging the at least first pin upon rotations and counter rotations of the at least first pin about its longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         19 . The training chopsticks of  claim 18  further comprising a pair of lugs fixedly attached to or formed wholly with the at least first pin, the downwardly facing stop comprising a lower side of one of said lugs and the upwardly facing stop comprising an upper side of the other of said lugs. 
     
     
         20 . The training chopsticks of  claim 1  further comprising a rotation stop fixedly attached to or formed wholly with a chopstick end selected from the group consisting of the lower chopstick's oppositely longitudinal end and the upper chopstick's oppositely longitudinal end, the rotation stop being adapted for resisting rotary motions of the upper chopstick with respect to the lower chopstick. 
     
     
         21 . The training chopsticks of  claim 20  further comprising a counter rotation stop fixedly attached to or formed wholly with the selected chopstick end, the counter rotation stop being adapted for resisting counter rotating motions of the upper chopstick with respect to the lower chopstick. 
     
     
         22 . The training chopsticks of  claim 21  further comprising a pair of arms, each arm among the pair of arms having a proximal end and a distal end, each stop among the rotation stop and the counter rotation stop being fixedly attached to or formed wholly with one of said arms' distal ends. 
     
     
         23 . The training chopsticks of  claim 1  wherein the longitudinally extending slide track comprises at least a first ridge fixedly attached to or formed wholly with the upper chopstick. 
     
     
         24 . The training chopsticks of  claim 23  wherein the longitudinally extending slide track comprises a second ridge fixedly attached to or formed wholly with the upper chopstick, the second ridge extending oppositely from the at least first ridge. 
     
     
         25 . The training chopsticks of  claim 24  wherein the mounting means comprise a pair of “C” brackets, each bracket among the pair of “C” brackets receiving one of the ridges among the at least first ridge and the second ridge. 
     
     
         26 . The training chopsticks of  claim 1  further comprising an oppositely laterally extending protuberance fixedly attached to or formed wholly with the upper chopstick, the oppositely laterally extending protuberance presenting an upwardly and oppositely laterally facing finger contact land. 
     
     
         27 . The training chopsticks of  claim 26  further comprising a plurality of protuberance and channel combinations fixedly attached to or formed wholly with the upper and lower chopsticks, and further comprising a plurality of elastic bands, said bands being received within said combinations' channels. 
     
     
         28 . Training chopsticks comprising;
 (a) A lower chopstick having a longitudinal end, an oppositely longitudinal end, an upper side, a lower side, a lateral side, and an oppositely lateral side;   (b) An upper chopstick having an upper side, a lower side, a longitudinal end, an oppositely longitudinal end, a lateral side, and an oppositely lateral side;   (c) At least a first arm having proximal and distal ends, said arm's proximal end being fixedly attached to or formed wholly with the lower chopstick;   (d) A channel extending through the upper chopstick, wherein the distal end of the arm extends through the channel;   (e) An extraction stop fixedly attached to or wholly formed with the at least first arm's distal end, said stop overlying the upper chopstick's upper side; and   (f) An insertion stop fixedly attached to or wholly formed with the at least first arm's distal end, said stop underlying the upper chopstick's lower side.   
     
     
         29 . The training chopsticks of  claim 28  wherein the at least a first arm has a middle portion spanning between its proximal and distal ends, said middle portion being oppositely laterally bowed. 
     
     
         30 . The training chopsticks of  claim 29  wherein the distal end of the at least first arm is canted laterally at an acute angle from a line extending from the lower chopstick to the upper chop stick. 
     
     
         31 . The training chopsticks of  claim 30  wherein the acute angle is approximately 15 degrees. 
     
     
         32 . The training chopsticks of  claim 31  wherein the distal end of the at least first arm has a longitudinal end having a lateral width, wherein said arm end has an oppositely longitudinal end having a lateral width, wherein said arm end has a middle portion having a lateral width, and wherein the lateral widths of said lateral and oppositely lateral ends are less than that of said middle portion. 
     
     
         33 . The training chopsticks of  claim 32  wherein the channel has a lateral wall and an oppositely lateral wall, such walls respectively forming an oppositely laterally extending apex and a laterally extending apex.