A common practice in restaurants and homes is to allow eating utensils, such as a knife, a fork, a spoon, and chopsticks to make direct contact with eating surfaces such as a table top before and during a meal. The common practice can be unsanitary because table tops, particularly in restaurants, often contain bacteria and can be unclean, especially since used utensils can soil the eating surface.
Known utensil rests are described and otherwise shown in the following patents: U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,604,714 to Hall; 6,994,304 to Kim et al.; 7,266,865 to Rodin; 7,975,857 to Restis et al.; D320,332 to Fetty; and D408,229 to Hong. The entire disclosures of the aforementioned patents are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
It is believed that people are reluctant to lay their utensils on table tops, especially after initial use, which is a primary reason that people rest their utensils on plates, sugar packs or each other. There is a strong desire by the general public, hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and restaurants to keep utensils clean, especially in the home and at special events. There is also a desire by restaurant supply houses, direct distributors, retailers, Internet stores, fund raising programs, and incentive programs, to have new forms of advertising.
There is a continuing need for a utensil rest for supporting a neck of a utensil above an eating surface such as a table. Desirably, the utensil rest readily receives a business card or other advertisement, and has means for holding the business card or other advertisement.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds