The present invention relates to kitchen devices, and more particularly to a cutting board adapted for nonskid usage on a workspace.
It is generally the practice in the kitchens of restaurants and homes to cut and wash foods such as vegetables in preparation for cooking and serving them. Usually a cutting board is utilized for preparation of the vegetables and other foodstuffs. The conventional cutting board is made of material which can withstand the cutting action of knives and the like and is generally large and heavy enough to remain stationary during cutting pressure and motions. Larger, heavy cutting boards, while efficient in use, are generally bulkier and more inconvenient to handle and wash than smaller and lighter weight cutting boards. However, smaller, lighter weight cutting boards generally have a tendency to move under heavy cutting action and therefore require stabilizing.
It would be an advantage therefore to overcome certain of the problems and inconveniences of prior art apparatus by providing an improved kitchen cutting board which can be effectively stabilized during use.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,478,292 to Sellers discloses a layered cutting board having top cutting layer and a bottom traction layer with feet. The top layer is relatively hard in order to take cutting action, while the bottom layer is flexible and rubbery to inhibit slipping. The bottom traction layer is substantially coextensive with the top layer on one side, where it is fixed to the cutting layer, and has feet extending from the other side. This construction is difficult to manufacture and requires a relatively large amount of rubbery traction layer material.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,702,273 to Sellers discloses a non-skid cutting board of wood, with rubbery feet attached to the bottom of the wooden cutting board with special mounting plates.
Thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) overmolding is a relatively new injection molding technique used to impart a “soft-touch” feel to tools and appliances such as screwdrivers and knives. A soft rubbery TPE section is typically overmolded onto a harder thermoplastic substrate layer, providing a soft-touch gripping surface and visually directing the user to the optimal places for gripping the tool. TPE overmolding has not heretofore been used to form non-skid surfaces on cutting boards.
The cutting board of the present invention has a planar top cutting surface and overmolded TPE feet on a bottom planar 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
A plurality of feet 18 are formed of thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) and overmolded directly onto the bottom planar surface 16 of the main body 12.
In the preferred embodiment illustrated, the main body 12 is rectangular with four corners 20, and the feet 18 are located in the corners 20. A handle aperture 22 may optionally be provided.
Each of the feet 18 preferably has a plurality of outwardly-facing indentations 24. Indentations 24 prevent the feet 18 from “hydroplaning” on a wet surface by providing voids where moisture can migrate as the cutting board 10 is placed down. A slight suction cup function is also performed by indentations 24. Indentations 24 are circular in horizontal cross-section.
Several foot perimeter shapes are possible. As shown in
A number of factors known to one of ordinary skill in the plastic molding art must be considered when manufacturing this invention. These factors include selection of insert molding vs. multi-shot molding, material selection, and part/mold design as to thickness, texture, part ejection, shut-off and venting.
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 braking systems, 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.
What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.
Whereas, the present invention has been described with respect to a specific embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various changes and modifications will be suggested to one skilled in the art and it is intended to encompass such changes and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.