This invention relates generally to kitchen accessories, and, more particularly, to cutting boards.
A common problem with cutting boards is that they are hard to pick up off a work surface. The conventional cutting board is a simple planar body, with no vertical features other than the thickness of the slab. In typical use, small pieces of chopped and cut ingredients on the board must be carefully transferred to cooking vessels or serving containers, which requires that the board be picked up and deftly maneuvered with one hand. Various solutions to the problem have been tried in the past, including handle holes in the slab and raised perimeters, but none has been effective to enable the easy, one-handed pick up and maneuvering required.
A cutting board has a main cutting surface and a handle extending from the main cutting surface and vertically spaced above the main cutting surface.
A more complete understanding of the invention and its advantages will be apparent from the Detailed Description taken in conjunction with the accompanying Drawings, in which:
Referring to
One end 14 of the main cutting board surface 12 is shorter than the other end 16, such that the main cutting board surface 12 is tapered from the longer end 16 to the shorter end 14. The main cutting board surface 12 is symmetrical in a direction parallel to the sides 18,20.
Curled edges 30,32,34,36 extend upwardly from the sides 18,20 and ends 14,16 of the main cutting surface 12. The curled edges 34,32,36 of the shorter end 14 and sides 18,20 being relatively shallow compared to a deeply-curled edge 30 of the longer end 16.
A handle 38 is vertically spaced above the main cutting surface 12 about 1.25 inches. The handle 38 is a planar element parallel to the main cutting board surface 12 and extending from the deeply-curled edge 30 of the main cutting surface 12. The handle 38 is generally triangular with a curved outermost corner 40. Walls 42 define an opening in the handle 38.
In operation, the vertical spacing of the handle of about 1.25 inches is optimal for allowing a user's fingers to slip under the handle for gripping with the thumb on top. This construction gives a scoop-like appearance, though scooping is not a normal function of a cutting board.
It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the type described above.
While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a particular cutting board, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.
Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.
This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Design patent application Ser. No. 29/278,433 filed Mar. 29, 2007, which will issue as D553,452 on Oct. 23, 2007.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 29278433 | Mar 2007 | US |
Child | 11876335 | US |