Fresh fruit and vegetables often contain on the surface contaminates such as insects and insect droppings, fertilizer, insect sprays, produce enhancers, dirt and sand as well as other unknown contaminants. These contaminants may be visible or unseen, and often appear as residue on fresh produce purchased from supermarkets, fresh produce stands and farmer's markets. We have all seen the warning labels on produce containers “Wash Thoroughly Before Use”
Other cleaning appliances on the market or where patents have been filed either do not perform sufficiently are too complicated and inconvenient to use. The present practice is to remove contaminants by soaking, rinsing under a faucet, using a sink sprayer and/or scrubbing raw fruits and vegetables using unfiltered or unpurified municipal or well water. This practice is unsatisfactory for a complete cleaning, is time consuming, does not conserve water resources, and does not effectively or efficiently remove impurities and surface contaminants. Additional contaminants may exist beneath the wax coatings of some fruits and vegetables.
The primary object of this invention is to provide an inexpensive and effective device for cleaning and washing a wide variety small fruits and vegetables and other food items. Another important object of this invention is to provide a means of cleaning and washing delicate fruit and vegetables without damaging or degrading the food items.
A further object of the device is to facilitate an easy method of introducing and removing food items, a simple manual crank handle to drive the agitator thereby creating a turbulent and kinetic cleaning action.
The present practice is to remove contaminants by soaking, rinsing under a faucet, using a sink sprayer and/or scrubbing raw fruits and vegetables using unfiltered or unpurified municipal or well water. This practice is unsatisfactory for a complete cleaning, is time consuming, does not conserve water resources, and does not effectively or efficiently remove impurities and surface contaminants. Additional contaminants may exist beneath the wax coatings of some fruits and vegetables.
The Kinetic Fruit and Veggie Turbo Wash performs a cleaning function based on two principles: Kinetic energy and turbulence. This type of cleaning action avoids damaging delicate fruit yet provides a thorough cleaning unlike soaking or spraying with kitchen sink sprayers.
The appliance consists of a transparent canister with an incorporated strainer port on the lid, a central axis silicone rubber coated agitator, and a lid with a geared manual crank handle.
Illustration
Illustration
Illustration
illustration
The canister is filled with water, the central axis agitator is inserted over the stabilizing post and fruit and vegetables are placed in the canister. A safe commercially available fruit and vegetable wash may be added. The lid is placed atop of the canister forming a watertight seal. On the lid a geared rotating crank handle is used to rotate the agitator at approximately 200 revolutions per minute. The agitator is specifically designed to create maximum water turbulence. Intern this turbulence sends the contents in energetic motion colliding with other contents, the nonabrasive silicone coated paddles, and fluted canister walls. The cleaning action is accomplished by kinetics; contents colliding with one another, contact with the nonabrasive silicone agitator and contact with fluted or channeled canister walls, all designed to dislodge contaminants and suspend them in water which is then emptied through the strainer on the lid.
This kitchen accessory is constructed of high grade plastic and silicone rubber. The product has four main components: (1) a lid or cover with a integral geared hand crank (2) a central axis rotating agitator, (3) central axis stabilizing post and (4) a transparent fluted or channeled canister/washing chamber.
The container is filled with water to a fill line indicated on the container. The central axis agitator is inserted over the stabilizing post. The food items are placed in the washing chamber. The lid is put into place and snaps closed to create a watertight seal. When the lid is placed atop the canister it engages the central axis agitator via a inverted female geared or toothed cone. The hand crank is then rotated in a counter-clockwise direction. The geared hand crank rotates the geared central vertical axis agitator at a ratio of one hand crank turn to six turns of the vertical axis agitator; a gear ratio of 6:1. A normal rotation speed will generate approximately 200 rpms at the vertical axis agitator. The agitator is specially designed to create upward and inward water flow as well as orbiting water at the center axis resulting in maximum turbulence. This turbulence causes the contents to collide with the silicone agitator, the fluted container walls and with other moving and suspended contents. The results of this action is a Kinetic Action, a dynamic and energizing cleaning action. Once the desired amount of cleaning time is reached the water is poured out through the strainer port on the lid. Contents a given a final rinse and are ready for consumption. The components are dishwasher safe on the top rack.
Referring now to the drawings in which like numerals designate similar and corresponding parts throughout the several views,
In
Number | Date | Country | |
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62762808 | May 2018 | US |