PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a pair of chopsticks that prevents the occurrence of loss in function due to a strain of guide plates while regulating the trajectory of the tips of the pair of chopsticks on the same plane in a self-help tool for use in eating meals used by a disabled person whose fingers are dysfunctional and a person or the like who switches the dominant hand.SOLUTION: Guide plates 3a and 3b are respectively provided on the upper surface and the lower surface of the hand-held parts 2a and 2b of a pair of chopstick 1a and 1b bodies. The lower-surface guide plate 3b is connected to one chopstick 1b while the upper-surface guide plate 3a is connected to the other chopstick 1a. A spring 5 is fitted inside the hand-held part of the chopstick body in order to always bias the tips of the pair of chopsticks in a direction in which the tips of the pair of chopsticks are expanded. The upper-surface guide plate is attached to the lower-surface guide plate through a pivot 4 so that the tips of the pair of chopsticks are freely openable and closable. A finger catching part is further provided on the surface facing the lower-surface guide plate so that the lower surface of a first finger is placed thereon in the chopstick to which the lower-surface guide plate is connected. A notch part is provided in the upper-surface guide plate so that the finger catching part can be freely fitted thereinto.COPYRIGHT: (C)2013,JPO&INPIT【課題】手指の機能が不全な障害者及び利き手交換する人等が使用する食事用自助装具において、箸先の軌跡を同一平面上に規制しながら、ガイド板の歪みによる機能喪失が生じ難い箸を提供する。【解決手段】一対の箸1a,1b本体の手元部2a,2bの上面および下面それぞれにガイド板3a,3bを備え、下面ガイド板3bが一方の箸1bに、上面ガイド板3aが他方の箸1aに連接しており、箸本体の手元部内側に箸先を常に拡開する方向へ付勢するバネ5を装入し、且つ、上面ガイド板を下面ガイド板に箸先開閉自在に枢着4した。また、下面ガイド板が連接されている箸において、下面ガイド板と対向する面に第1指下面を載せる指懸け部をさらに設け、上面ガイド板に指懸け部が自在に嵌入する切欠部を備えた。【選択図】図1
