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An improved utensil for feeding a small child includes a coating of a relatively soft plastic material provided over a rigid base portion that has a relatively high capacity for heat conduction and storage. The relatively soft plastic material is formulated to change color when exposed to a substanc

An improved utensil for feeding a small child includes a coating of a relatively soft plastic material provided over a rigid base portion that has a relatively high capacity for heat conduction and storage. The relatively soft plastic material is formulated to change color when exposed to a substance, such as food, that is above a predetermined temperature. During use, the presence of the base portion acts as a heat storage reservoir in order to lengthen and delocalize the color change response of the soft plastic material, thereby making the color change response more continuous and more noticeable to the caregiver. Also disclosed is a kit of different utensils that start out as different colors, but that change to a uniform warning color when overheated. The concept of the uniform warning color makes it easier for children and caregivers alike to identify the warning when it occurs.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A kit for feeding infants and small children, comprising: a plurality of utensils, each of said utensils having a handle and a feeding end attached to said handle, said feeding ends of said utensils being, under unheated conditions, of different initial colors, and wherein a material on said feed

1. A kit for feeding infants and small children, comprising: a plurality of utensils, each of said utensils having a handle and a feeding end attached to said handle, said feeding ends of said utensils being, under unheated conditions, of different initial colors, and wherein a material on said feeding ends of said utensils is, irrespective of the initial colors of the feeding ends, formulated to change color when exposed to a substance, such as food, that is above a predetermined temperature that is appropriate for the comfortable consumption of food for a small child, to turn to a uniform warning color that is recognizable by a user as such regardless of which utensil is in use at a given time.2. A kit according to claim 1, wherein said uniform warning color is white.3. A kit according to claim 1, wherein there are at least three of said utensils.4. A kit according to claim 1, wherein there are four of said utensils, and said feeding ends are colored, respectively, vermilion, magenta, blue and green, and wherein said uniform warning color is white.5. A kit according to claim 1, wherein said feeding ends comprise means for retaining thermal energy during use, thereby lengthening and delocalizing the color change response.6. A kit according to claim 5, wherein said retaining means comprises a rigid base portion that is made from a first material that has a relatively high capacity for storing and conducting heat.7. A kit according to claim 6, wherein said first material is metallic.8. A kit according to claim 7, wherein said first material comprises stainless steel.9. A kit according to claim 6, wherein said base portion is coated with a soft plastic material that is formulated to change color at the predetermined temperature.10. A kit according to claim 9 wherein said soft plastic material has a hardness that is within the range of Shore 55A to Shore 50D.11. A kit according to claim 10, wherein said soft plastic material has a hardness that is approximately Shore 80A.12. A kit according to claim 9, wherein said soft plastic material comprises polyvinyl chloride and a thermochromic additive.13. A kit according to claim 9, wherein said soft plastic material is coated on said rigid base portion to be approximately 0.005 inches to 0.10 inches.14. A kit according to claim 13, wherein said soft plastic material is coated on said rigid base portion to be approximately 0.03 inches.15. A kit according to claim 1, wherein each of said utensils has an area on said handle that is color coded to match the color of said material for comparison purposes.16. A kit according to claim 15, wherein said area is also thermochromic, whereby a caregiver can test the temperature of food without dipping the feeding end of the utensil into the food.17. An improved article for use in feeding a person, comprising:a body; and a food contacting surface on said body, said food contacting surface being of a first initial color, said food contacting surface being constructed and arranged to lose its color and turn white when exposed to a substance, such as food, that is above a predetermined temperature that is appropriate for the comfortable consumption of food for a small child, the white colorless state thereby acting as a uniform warning state that is recognizable by a user as such regardless of the initial color of the article. 18. A kit for feeding infants and small children, comprising:a plurality of articles, each of said articles having a body and a food contacting surface on said body, said respective food contacting surfaces being of different colors; and wherein said food contacting surfaces are constructed and arranged to lose color and turn white when exposed to a substance, such as food, that is above a predetermined temperature that is appropriate for the comfortable consumption of food for a small child, the white colorless state thereby acting as a uniform warning state that is recognizable by a user as such regardless of the initial color of the article.