Patent Application
20170106553
Cutting tools exist for slicing objects. For example, knives having a blade configured to cut objects via a sawing motion or push-through motion exist. When cutting objects, proper use is required to prevent the blade of the knife from coming in contact with portions of the body and potentially cutting a portion of the body. Because proper use is required to prevent the blade of the knife from coming in contact with portions of the body, cutting objects may take longer amounts of time. For example, using a knife may require additional amounts of time to properly grip (e.g., hold) the knife and properly grip the object to prevent the blade of the knife from coming in contact with portions of the body while cutting the object.
Cutting tools exist that have a guard for a blade. For example, cutting tools may include a guard disposed over a blade to prevent portions of the body from coming in contact with the blade when cutting an object with the knife. However, the existing guards are not entirely effective. Subsequently, the existing guards do not always prevent portions of a body from coming in contact with a blade of knife.
Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for improved cutting systems that take less time to cut an object and prevent portions of a body from coming in contact with a blade of a knife.
The detailed description is set forth with reference to the accompanying figures. In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the figure in which the reference number first appears. The use of the same reference numbers in different figures indicates similar or identical items.
This application describes cutting systems having a cutting portion arrangeable around an object to cut the object. The cutting systems may pierce an object with a piercing portion (e.g., a pick, a spike, a prong, a barb, a point, etc.), and the cutting portion may be selectively moved to deform the cutting portion around the object to cut the object while the object is retained by the piercing portion. For example, a user may force the piercing portion of the cutting system into the object to retain the object on the piercing portion. And, the user may selectively displace the cutting portion to deform the cutting portion around the object to cut the object while the object is retained by the piercing portion.
By virtue of having cutting portions selectively arrangeable around objects to cut objects retained by a piercing portion, cutting systems according to this disclosure are adaptable to take less time to cut an object and prevent portions of a body of a user from coming in contact with a blade. For example, selectively displacing a cutting portion to deform the cutting portion around the object to cut the object takes less time than cutting the object with a blade of a knife because a user does not have to take the time to properly grip the knife and properly grip the object to prevent a blade from coming in contact with a portion of a body of the user. And, because the cutting portion deforms around the object to cut the object, a portion of a body of the user is not susceptible to a blade of a knife. For example, because cutting systems according to this disclosure comprise a cutting portion that is deformable (e.g., elastic, flexible, bendable, pliable, malleable, etc.) and not a rigid flat cutting edge of a blade, if a portion of a body of a user does come in contact with the cutting portion, the cutting portion simply deforms around the portion of the body of the user rather than slicing the portion of the body of the user.
Generally, a cutting system according to this disclosure comprises deformable cutting portions selectively arrangeable around objects to cut objects retained by a piercing portion. The cutting portion may comprise a wire, a cable, a chain, etc. that is deformable (e.g., elastic, flexible, bendable, pliable, malleable, etc.). For example, the cutting portion may comprise one or more metal wires, diamond wires, composite wires, fabric wires, etc. that are deformable and selectively arrangeable around objects to cut objects.
While the cutting systems are described in various embodiments herein as being used in the food processing industry, food cooking industry (e.g., culinary industry), restaurant industry, and/or kitchenware industry, the cutting systems may be used in the manufacturing industry, medical industry, hobby industry, gardening industry, or the like.
In addition, while the cutting system is described throughout the application as having a gripping portion (e.g., a handle) having an elongated cylindrical shape, other types of shapes are also contemplated, such as, for example, elongated oval shape, elongated rectangle shape, elongated triangle shape, spherical shaped, ellipsoid shaped, etc.
Further, while the objects are illustrated in various embodiments herein as having a spherical shape, the objects may have ellipsoid shape (e.g., an oblate spheroid shape or a prolate spheroid shape), pear-shape, clavate shape, rhomboidal shape, rectangular shape, triangular shape, etc. Moreover, while the objects are illustrated in various embodiments herein as having a size of at least about 3 inches wide to at most about 6 inches wide, the objects may have smaller or larger widths.
In one example, the cutting system may include one or more brackets configured to support (e.g., brace, bear, hold, etc.) an object when the object is retained on the piercing portion. In another example, the cutting system may include one or more receptacles (e.g., cups, containers, vessels, etc.) to contain one or more portions of the object cut from the object retained on the piercing portion.
In another example, the cutting system may comprise a bumper configured to absorb an impact of a collision of the cutting tool to dislodge a remnant portion of the object retained on the piercing portion. In another example, the cutting system may comprise a blade arranged with the gripping portion for slicing and/or scooping a portion of the object. In the example where the cutting system comprises a blade, the blade may be selectively moveable between a use position and a stowed position. When the blade is in the use position the blade extends a distance past the gripping portion and when the blade is in the stowed position the blade is arranged adjacent to the gripping portion or contained in the gripping portion.
In another example, the cutting system may comprise a mechanism arranged to retract the cutting portion into the gripping portion. In another example, the cutting system may comprise a piercing portion that is selectively moveable between a use position and a stowed position. When the piercing portion is in the use position the piercing portion extends a distance past the gripping portion and when the piercing portion is in the stowed position the piercing portion is arranged adjacent to the gripping portion or contained in the gripping portion.
Illustrative Cutting Systems with Deformable Cutting Portions
The cutting tool 102 may comprise a gripping portion 110. The gripping portion 110 may be a rigid handle formed of metal, wood, composite, plastic (e.g., polypropylene (PP), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), Polyoxymethylene (POM)), glass, any other suitable material, and/or combination of suitable materials for forming a gripping portion. The gripping portion 110 may comprise a size suitable for a hand of a user to grip. For example, the gripping portion 110 may have an outside diameter of at least about ½ inches to at most about 4 inches. In various examples, the gripping portion 110 may have an outside diameter of about 1 inch, 1.5 inches, 2 inches, 2.5 inches 3 inches etc. The gripping portion 110 may have a length of about at least about 2 inches to at most about 10 inches. In one example, the gripping portion 110 may have a length of about 5 inches. The gripping portion 110 may have an ergonomic shape. For example, the gripping portion 110 may have ridges, bands, bumps, pockets, cavities, etc. that interface with portions (e.g., thumb, fingers, palm, etc.) of a user's hand.
A piercing portion 112 may be arranged with the gripping portion 110. For example, the piercing portion 112 may be fixed to an end 114(A) of the gripping portion 110 opposite to another end 114(B) of the gripping portion 110. In one example, the piercing portion 112 may extend a distance 116 of at least about ½ inches to at most about 4 inches past the end 114(A) of the gripping portion 110. In another example, the piercing portion 112 may extend a distance 116 of at least about ½ inches to at most about 24 inches.
In one example, the piercing portion 112 may be threadably fastened to the end 114(A) of the gripping portion 110. In another example, the piercing portion 112 may be adhesively fastened to the end 114(A) of the gripping portion 110. In another example, the piercing portion 112 may be formed integrally with the end 114(A) of the gripping portion 110. In the example where the piercing portion 112 is formed integrally with the end 114(A) of the gripping portion 110, the piercing portion 112 may be formed of the same material forming the gripping portion 110. For example, the piercing portion 112 and the gripping portion 110 may be formed of a single unit of plastic, metal, wood, composite etc.
In another example, the piercing portion 112 may be selectively moveable between a use position and a stowed position. For example, the piercing portion 112 may be hingeably coupled to the end 114(A) of the gripping portion 110 and arranged to pivot about the hinge between the use position and the stowed position. For example, the piercing portion 112 may be folded about the hinge between the use position and the stowed position. When the piercing portion 112 is in the use position the piercing portion 112 extends the distance 116 past the gripping portion 110 and when the piercing portion 112 is in the stowed position the piercing portion 112 is arranged adjacent to the gripping portion 110 or contained in the gripping portion 110.
In another example, the piercing portion 112 may be slideably coupled to the end 114(A) of the gripping portion 110. For example, the piercing portion 112 may be linearly displaced between the use position and the stowed position. In the example where the piercing portion 112 is slideably coupled to the end 114(A) of the gripping portion 110, the piercing portion 112 may be linearly displaced via a spring, a lever, a motor, etc. arranged in the gripping portion 110, for example.
The piercing portion 112 may be configured for piercing the object 108 and retaining the object 108. In one example, the piercing portion 112 may be configured to pierce a softer portion 118 and a harder portion 120 and to lodge (e.g., firmly fix or embed) into the harder portion 120 to retain the object 108.
In the example where the piercing portion 112 is configured to pierce a softer portion 118 and a harder portion 120 of the object 108, the cutting portion 104 may be configured to cut the softer portion 118 of the object 108 and not the harder portion 120 of the object 108. For example, the cutting portion 104 may be a wire capable of cutting the softer portion 118 but not capable of cutting the harder portion 120. Subsequent to cutting the object 108, a remnant (e.g., harder portion 120) of the cut object may be selectively dislodged from the piercing portion 112.
In an embodiment where the piercing portion 112 is slideably coupled to gripping portion 110, the piercing portion 112 may be arranged to selectively dislodge the object 108 or the remnant (e.g., harder portion 120) of the object 108 when the piercing portion 112 is selectively displaced from the use position to the stowed position. For example, subsequent to cutting the softer portion 118 of the object 108, the harder portion 120 of the object 108 may still be retained by the piercing portion 112 and a user may selectively displace the piercing portion 112 to the stowed position to dislodge the harder portion 120 from the piercing portion 112.
In another example, the object may comprise a fruit (e.g., an avocado, a mango, a peach, an apricot, a plumb, a cherry, a nectarine, etc.) comprising a pericarp portion (e.g., softer portion 118) encapsulating a seed portion (e.g., harder portion 120). In the example where the object comprises a fruit, the piercing portion may pierce the pericarp portion and the seed portion of the fruit and lodge into the seed portion to retain the fruit on the piercing portion, and the cutting portion cuts the pericarp portion but does not cut the seed portion.
In some embodiments, the gripping portion 110 of the cutting tool 102 may comprise a first gripping portion (e.g., first handle) and the second end 122(2) of the cutting portion 104 of the cutting tool 102 may comprise a second gripping portion 126 (e.g., a second handle). A user may grip the first gripping portion with one hand and grip the second gripping portion with the other hand.
In some embodiments the second end 122(2) of the cutting portion 104 may be removeably received by a receptacle 124 arranged in the gripping portion 110. For example, a user may arrange the second gripping portion 126 of the cutting portion 104 in the receptacle 124 to store the cutting portion 104 until a time of use. While
The one or more brackets 128(1) and 128(N) may be configured to support the object 108 when the object 108 is retained on the piercing portion 112. For example, when the object 108 is retained on the piercing portion 112, at least a portion of the exterior area 106 of the object 108 may interface with the one or more brackets 128(1) and 128(N) to hold the object 108.
In another example, the bumper 130 may comprise a single unit of material formed integral with the gripping portion 110. For example, the bumper may be a band, strip, pad, etc. of plastic fixed in the gripping portion 110 proximate to the end 114(1) of the gripping portion 110. For example, the bumper 130 may be a band of plastic overmolded, threaded, press-fit, snap-fit, adhered, etc., to the gripping portion 110 proximate to the end 114(1) of the gripping portion. The bumper 130 may be configured to absorb an impact of a collision of the cutting tool 102 to dislodge a remnant portion (e.g., harder portion 120) of the object 108 retained on the piercing portion 112. For example, the bumper 130 may provide for absorbing an impact of a collision between the gripping portion 110 and a receptacle (e.g., a can, a box, a bucket, a bowl) to selectively dislodge the harder portion 120 of the object 108 retained on the piercing portion 112 into the receptacle.
A guide member 132 may arranged with the gripping portion 110 proximate to the end 114(1) of the gripping portion 110 to guide the cutting portion 104. The guide member 132 may slideably receive the cutting portion 104 to guide the cutting portion 104 when a user displaces the cutting portion 104.
In the embodiment where the object 108 comprises the softer portion 118 encapsulating the harder portion 120, the cutting portion 104 may be configured to cut the softer portion 118 when the cutting portion 104 is deformed from the first shape 202 to the second shape 204. In one example, the cutting portion 104 may deform around the outside surface of the harder portion 120 and not cut into the harder portion 120. In another example, the cutting portion 104 may deform around the outside surface of the harder portion 120 and slideably displace along the outside surface of the harder portion 120.
In the embodiment where the object 108 comprises a fruit comprising a pericarp portion (e.g., softer portion 118) encapsulating a seed portion (e.g., harder portion 120), the cutting portion 104 may be configured to cut the pericarp portion when the cutting portion 104 is deformed from the first shape 202 to the second shape 204. In one example, the cutting portion 104 may deform around the outside surface of the seed portion and not cut into the seed portion. In another example, the cutting portion 104 may deform around the outside surface of the seed and slideably displace along the outside surface of seed.
The two or more members 502(1) and 502(N) forming the cutting portion 104 may each comprise a wire, a cable, a chain, etc. that is deformable (e.g., elastic, flexible, bendable, pliable, malleable, etc.). For example, the two or members 502(1) and/or 502(N) may comprise a metal wire, a diamond wire, a composite wire, a fabric wire, etc. that is deformable and selectively arrangeable around objects to cut objects.
The one or more receptacles 604(1) and 604(N) may be configured to contain one or more portions of the object cut from the object retained on the piercing portion 112. For example, the one or more receptacles 604(1) and 604(N) may be configured to contain first and second halves of the softer portion 118 of the object 108 cut from the harder portion 120 of the object 108 retained on the piercing portion 112.
The front view 600 of the alternative implementation of the cutting tool 102 illustrates the cutting portion 104 may be fixed to a back portion 606 of the end 114(A) of the gripping portion 110 and arrangeable around an exterior area of the object retained by the piercing portion 112 to cut the object. For example, a user may pull the cutting portion 104 from the back portion 606 of the gripping portion 110 toward a front portion 608 of the end 114(A) of the gripping portion 110 to arrange the cutting portion 104 around the exterior area 106 of the object 108 to cut the object 108. The back view 602 of the alternative implementation of the cutting tool 102 illustrates the first end 122(1) of cutting portion 104 may be fixed to the end 114(A) of the gripping portion 110 between the one or more receptacles 604(1) and 604(N).
The front view 600 and the back view 602 illustrate the alternative implementation of the cutting tool 102 may include a blade 610 arranged with the gripping portion 110 opposite the piercing portion 112. For example, the cutting tool 102 may include a blade pivotably coupled to the other end 114(B) of the gripping portion 110 and arranged to be selectively pivoted between a stowed position and a use position. For example, the blade 610 may be selectively pivoted from a stowed position where the blade is contained in the gripping portion 110 to a use position where the blade is exposed and extends a distance past the gripping portion 110. The blade 610 may be configured for slicing or scooping a portion of the object 108. For example, the blade 610 may be configured for slicing or scooping the softer portion 118 of the object 108 subsequent to the cutting of the object 108. While
The perspective view 700 of the alternative implementation of the cutting tool 102 illustrates the first end 122(1) of the cutting portion 104 may be fixed to a top portion 706 of the receptacle 704. For example, the first end 122(1) of the cutting portion 104 may be fixed to a rim (e.g., lip) of the receptacle 704. The cutting portion 104 may be arrangeable along the top portion 706 of the receptacle 704 and arrangeable around the exterior area 106 of the object 108 to cut the object 108.
Example Method of Cutting an Object with a Cutting Tool Having a Cutting Portion Arrangeable Around an Exterior of the Object
Process 800 includes operation 802, which may represent piercing the object with a piercing portion (e.g., piercing portion 112) to retain the object on the piercing portion. For example, a user may grip the gripping portion and force the piercing portion into the object to pierce a softer portion (e.g., softer portion 118) encapsulating a harder portion (e.g., harder portion 120) of the object to retain the object on the piercing portion.
Process 800 may include operation 804, which represents arranging the cutting portion, coupled with the piercing portion, around the exterior area of the object to cut the object.
Process 800 may be completed at operation 806, which may represent displacing the cutting portion and deforming the cutting portion from a first shape (e.g., first shape 202) having a size substantially the same as a size of the exterior of the object to a second shape (e.g., second shape 204) having a size smaller than the size of the exterior of the object to cut the object from the exterior of the object in towards an interior of the object. For example, a user may pull the cutting portion a distance (e.g., distance 206) to deform the cutting portion 104 from the first shape to the second shape to cut the object from the exterior of the object in towards the interior of the object.
In the embodiment where the object 108 comprises the softer portion encapsulating the harder portion, the piercing portion pierces the softer portion and the harder portion and lodges into the harder portion to retain the object on the piercing portion. Further, the cutting portion may be configured to cut the softer portion when the cutting portion is deformed from the first shape to the second shape. In one example, the cutting portion may deform around the outside surface of the harder portion and not cut into the harder portion. In another example, the cutting portion may deform around the outside surface of the harder portion and slideably displace along the outside surface of the harder portion.
In embodiments where the object comprises a fruit comprising a pericarp portion (e.g., softer portion 118) encapsulating a seed portion (e.g., harder portion 120), the piercing portion pierces the pericarp portion and the seed portion and lodges into the seed portion to retain the fruit on the piercing portion. Further, the cutting portion may be configured to cut the pericarp portion when the cutting portion is deformed from the first shape to the second shape. In one example, the cutting portion may deform around the outside surface of the seed portion and not cut down into the seed portion. In another example, the cutting portion may deform around the outside surface of the seed and slideably displace along the outside surface of seed.
Although embodiments have been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described. Rather, the specific features and acts are disclosed as illustrative forms of implementing the embodiments. For example, in various embodiments, any of the structural features and/or methodological acts described herein may be rearranged, modified, or omitted entirely. For example, the shape, size, and configuration of the gripping portion and cutting portion may be varied.
