Patent Application
20100162577
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a slicer and, more particularly, to a fruit slicer to divide a fruit, such as an apple, orange and the like, into multiple parts.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional fruit slicer in accordance with the prior art shown in
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a fruit slicer, comprising a support base, a movable base movable relative to the support base, and at least two cutters each selectively and detachably mounted on the movable base to move in concert with the movable base and each movable to abut and press the support base.
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a fruit slicer having replaceable cutters.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a fruit slicer, wherein each of the cutters is selectively and detachably mounted on the movable base so that the movable base can co-operate with the cutters of different types and kinds to slice fruits with or without cores, thereby enhancing the versatility of the fruit slicer.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a fruit slicer, wherein the guide plates can guide movement of the movable base relative to the support base so that the movable base is movable relative to the support base smoothly and stably without incurring deflection or upset so as to facilitate the user operating the press handles of the movable base and to enhance the cutting efficiency of the cutters.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a fruit slicer, wherein the protective barrel abuts the top of the movable base to move with the movable base to prevent the sliced fruit chips or juice from being sputtered or spilled outwardly from the movable base during the cutting process.
Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.
Referring to
The support base 30 includes an annular seat 31, a recessed receiving portion 34 located at a central portion of the annular seat 31, and a plurality of support ribs 32 mounted between the annular seat 31 and the receiving portion 34.
The annular seat 31 of the support base 30 has a peripheral wall provided with two opposite protruding blocks 38 for mounting the two guide plates 37 and the two stands 36. The central portion of the annular seat 31 of the support base 30 is provided with a reinforcing stud 33 located under the receiving portion 34 and connected between the support ribs 32. The support ribs 32 of the support base 30 are arranged in a radiating manner in the annular seat 31. The receiving portion 34 of the support base 30 is used to receive a fruit, such as an apple, orange and the like. Each of the two guide plates 37 has a substantially arc-shaped profile. Each of the two stands 36 is pivotally and foldably mounted on the support base 30 by a shaft 35.
The movable base 21 is movable to abut and press the annular seat 31 of the support base 30. The movable base 21 is movably mounted between the two guide plates 37 and is provided with two opposite protruding press handles 214 each located outside of and aligning with a respective one of the two guide plates 37. The movable base 21 has a peripheral wall provided with two opposite guide slots 215 each movably mounted on a respective one of the two guide plates 37 and each aligning with a respective one of the two press handles 214. Each of the two guide slots 215 of the movable base 21 has a substantially arc-shaped profile. The movable base 21 has a substantially annular shape and has an inner wall provided with a plurality of stop flanges 212 and a plurality of passages 213 defined between the stop flanges 212. The top of the movable base 21 is provided with a plurality of limit pieces 216 each inserted into an inner wall of the protective barrel 40 to limit the protective barrel 40 onto the movable base 21.
Each of the cutters 22 includes a mounting ring 223 detachably mounted in the movable base 21 and a plurality of flat blades 221 mounted in the mounting ring 223 to move in concert with the movable base 21.
The mounting ring 223 of each of the cutters 22 is movable to abut and press the annular seat 31 of the support base 30. The mounting ring 223 of each of the cutters 22 abuts the stop flanges 212 of the movable base 21 and has an outer wall provided with a plurality of locking lugs 224 each extending through a respective one of the passages 213 of the movable base 21 and each locked onto a respective one of the stop flanges 212 of the movable base 21 to detachably lock the mounting ring 223 of each of the cutters 22 in the movable base 21.
In assembly, each of the locking lugs 224 of each of the cutters 22 is moved downward to extend through the respective passage 213 of the movable base 21. Then, each of the cutters 22 is rotated relative to the movable base 21 so that each of the locking lugs 224 of each of the cutters 22 is moved to abut the respective stop flange 212 of the movable base 21 to detachably lock the mounting ring 223 of each of the cutters 22 in the movable base 21.
Each of the flat blades 221 of each of the cutters 22 is movable to abut and press a respective one of the support ribs 32 of the support base 30. The flat blades 221 of each of the cutters 22 are arranged in a radiating manner in the mounting ring 223. The flat blades 221 of one of the cutters 22 intersect each other at a connection 225 which is located at the central portion of the mounting ring 223 so that the flat blades 221 co-operates with the connection 225 to cut a fruit without a core, such as an orange. Another one of the cutters 22 further includes a tubular blade 222 located at the central portion of the mounting ring 223, and the flat blades 221 are located between the mounting ring 223 and the tubular blade 222 so that the flat blades 221 co-operates with the tubular blade 222 to cut a fruit with a core, such as an apple. The tubular blade 222 is movable to abut and press the receiving portion 34 of the support base 30.
The protective barrel 40 is movably mounted between the two guide plates 37 and is located between the two press handles 214 of the movable base 21. The protective barrel 40 has an outer wall provided with two opposite guide tracks 41 each movably mounted on a respective one of the two guide plates 37 to guide movement of the protective barrel 40 relative to the two guide plates 37.
In operation, when a fruit is placed on the receiving portion 34 of the support base 30, a user can apply a downward force on the two press handles 214 of the movable base 21 to move the movable base 21 toward the annular seat 31 of the support base 30, so that any one of the cutters 22 is moved toward the annular seat 31 of the support base 30 to clamp the fruit between any one of the cutters 22 and the annular seat 31 of the support base 30. In such a manner, the flat blades 221 of any one of the cutters 22 are moved to extend through the fruit and to abut and press the support ribs 32 of the support base 30 so as to slice and divide the fruit into multiple parts. At this time, a dish (not shown) is located under the annular seat 31 of the support base 30 to receive the sliced fruit chips and juice. Thus, the guide plates 37 can guide movement of the movable base 21 relative to the support base 30 so that the movable base 21 is movable relative to the support base 30 smoothly and stably without incurring deflection or upset so as to facilitate the user operating the press handles 214 of the movable base 21 and to enhance the cutting efficiency of the cutters 22. In addition, the protective barrel 40 abuts the top of the movable base 21 to move with the movable base 21 to prevent the sliced fruit chips or juice from being sputtered or spilled outwardly from the movable base 21 during the cutting process and to facilitate the user managing the sliced fruit chips and juice.
Accordingly, each of the cutters 22 is selectively and detachably mounted on the movable base 21 so that the movable base 21 can co-operate with the cutters 22 of different types and kinds to slice fruits with or without cores, thereby enhancing the versatility of the fruit slicer. In addition, the guide plates 37 can guide movement of the movable base 21 relative to the support base 30 so that the movable base 21 is movable relative to the support base 30 smoothly and stably without incurring deflection or upset so as to facilitate the user operating the press handles 214 of the movable base 21 and to enhance the cutting efficiency of the cutters 22. Further, the protective barrel 40 abuts the top of the movable base 21 to move with the movable base 21 to prevent the sliced fruit chips or juice from being sputtered or spilled outwardly from the movable base 21 during the cutting process.
Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claim or claims will cover such modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the invention.
