This invention generally relates to devices for producing a spiral-cut fruit or vegetable.
A spiral cutting tool is useful for creating strips of fruits or vegetables, such as potatoes, that are shaped in curls or spirals. Existing devices can be inconvenient to use, however, and lack the ability to readily reconfigure the cutting device for different widths of spiral-cut strips, or to use the device for grating as well as spiral cutting.
A spiral slicer for producing spiral-cut fruits and vegetables, includes a main body supporting a shaft operated by a crank handle. Rotation of the crank handle selectively moves a pusher, which attaches to a fruit or vegetable (such as a potato, for example), toward a set of julienne blades and a main slicing blade. The fruit or vegetable is cut by the julienne blades and then by the main blade, with the sliced portion passing through a gap positioned between the julienne blades and the main blade. As a result, spiral-cut strips of vegetable are produced by the rotation of the crank handle.
In a preferred version, the main body supports a julienne blade holder which is configured to support more than one set of julienne blades. The julienne blade holder can be positioned as desired to enable a desired set of julienne blades to be positioned in the path of the rotating fruit or vegetable. A blade lock maintains the julienne blade holder in a desired position.
In one example, a main body has a slicing end and a crank end, with a central body portion joining the slicing end to the crank end, the main body being configured to support the spiral slicer on a horizontal surface. A shaft is attached to the crank end of the main body, the shaft having a pusher at a first end of the shaft and a crank handle at an opposing second end of the shaft, the crank handle being operable to urge the shaft and the pusher toward the slicing end of the main body.
In a preferred version, a main slicing blade attached to the slicing end of the main body, and a julienne blade holder is mounted to the slicing end of the main body, the julienne blade holder having a first plurality of julienne slicing blades and a second plurality of julienne slicing blades and being positioned adjacent the main slicing blade with a gap between the julienne blade holder and the main slicing blade.
In one version, the julienne blade holder is mounted for rotational movement about an axis into at least a first rotational position and a second rotational position, wherein in the first rotational position the first plurality of julienne blades faces toward the crank end of the main body to encounter a food item urged toward the main blade by the pusher, and in the second rotational position the second plurality of julienne blades faces toward the crank end of the main body to encounter a food item urged toward the main blade by the pusher.
In an example of the invention, the slicer includes a blade lock which may be attached to the slicing end of the main body to selectively lock the julienne blade holder in either the first rotational position or the second rotational position, or to unlock the julienne blade holder for movement between the first rotational position and the second rotational position.
In one version, the julienne blade holder includes a first post and a second post, the first post having a knob, the first post and the second post defining the axis of rotational movement of the julienne blade holder.
In another example, the julienne blade holder and the slicing end of the main body comprise complementary mating surfaces whereby when the complementary mating surfaces are interconnected the julienne blade holder is locked into either the first rotational position or the second rotational position.
The complementary mating surfaces may comprise a plurality of fins formed on the julienne blade holder and a bore positioned in the slicing end of the main housing, the bore having a plurality of radial cutouts which engage the plurality of fins.
The plurality of fins may be formed on the second post, and a coil spring may be carried on the second post and trapped between the julienne blade holder and a support platform positioned on the slicing end of the main body, the bore further being formed in the support platform.
The blade lock in a preferred version is slideably mounted to the slicing end of the main body, the blade lock further having a channel for receiving the first post in a locked position, the blade lock further having an unlocked position in which the bladed lock is moved laterally away from the first post.
The blade lock may also be pivotally mounted to the slicing end of the main body, the blade lock further having a channel for receiving the first post in a locked position, the blade lock further having an unlocked position in which the bladed lock is moved pivotally away from the first post.
The julienne blade holder preferably includes a first face, a second face, and a third face, the first set of julienne blades being positioned on the first face, the second set of julienne blades being positioned on the second face, and the third face being devoid of blades, and further wherein the julienne blade holder is selectively moveable to a third rotational position in which the third face is directed toward the crank end of the main body.
The spiral slicer may also include an alignment tube carried on the slicing end of main body adjacent the main slicing blade and adjacent the julienne blade holder.
In a preferred version, the slicing end and the crank end each extend upwardly from the central body portion.
In an example, a blade guard is positioned over the julienne blade holder, the julienne blade holder being positioned between the blade guard and the crank end.
Preferred and alternative examples of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings:
A preferred spiral cutter 10 is shown in
The crank end 32 of the main body includes a mount 33 for receiving a shaft 22. The shaft is preferably threaded along its length such that it is received in a mating threaded mount to allow the shaft to move toward or away from the slicing end 36 of the main body by rotating the shaft within the mount. A crank handle 20 is attached to a first end the shaft to allow the shaft to be rotated and moved toward the slicing end of the main body. A pusher 24 is attached to a second end of the shaft, and in the illustrated example the pusher includes one or more spikes or fins 26, in which the spikes or fins are configured to be able to grasp a vegetable such as a potato. As illustrated, the crank handle and the pusher are positioned on opposite sides of the crank end of the main body while the shaft extends through the crank end of the main body. In some versions, the crank handle, the pusher, or both, may be removable from the shaft to allow the shaft to be fully removed from the mount 33 for cleaning.
The spiral cutter is preferably configured to be supported on a horizontal surface such as a countertop, and in such a version the cutter includes a lower surface to allow the main body to be supported on a countertop. In the version of
In one version, the forward stand is pivotally attached to the main body so that it can be retracted into the main body for more compact storage. As best seen in the bottom view of
As shown in
The julienne blade holder is selectively repositionable to allow a user to choose from among a plurality of sets of julienne blades. In the illustrated example, the julienne blade includes a knob 52 positioned at the top of the slicing end of the main body so that the user may grasp the knob and rotate the julienne blade holder to a desired position. A locking cap 60 engages the julienne blade holder to maintain the julienne blade holder in its selected position, as described further below. A blade guard 70 (see
As best seen in
A knob 52 is attached to the upper post 51 to allow a user to grasp the julienne body and rotate it to select a desired set of julienne blades, as described further below.
The lower post 53 terminates with a plurality of fins 54, and in one example three such fins are provided. In the illustrated version, the fins are formed only on a lower portion of the lower post, thereby leaving as section of the lower post that is generally cylindrical and without having fins. Most preferably, the fins are flared outward such that they extend radially outward farther at a lowermost portion than at the uppermost portion of the fins.
A coil spring 57 is carried on the lower post 53, mounted on the portion of the lower post between the fins 54 and the julienne blade body 58.
The julienne blade holder is mounted to the main body 30 so that a user may select a desired set of julienne blades. As best seen in
The main body further includes an upper support platform 38 having an upper mount 90. The upper mount is configured with a bore extending through the upper support platform, and as illustrated the upper mount and lower mount are preferably axially aligned along axis A. When the julienne blade holder is mounted on the main body, the upper post 51 extends through the upper mount 90 and the lower post 53 extends through the lower mount 94. The coil spring 57 is trapped between the julienne blade body 58 and the lower support platform 37, biasing the julienne blade body in an upward position, urged away from the lower support platform. Consequently, the fins 54 are receivable within the radial cutouts or slots to prevent rotation of the julienne blade body with respect to the main body 30.
When a user desires to rotate the julienne blade holder to select a different set of julienne blades, the user pushes down on the knob 52 in order to compress the coil spring and push the fins downward, out of the slots in the lower mount 95. Once the fins are cleared away from the slots the julienne blade holder may be rotated to a desired orientation. The knob can then be released upwardly to engage the fins with the slots, thereby preventing further rotation and locking the julienne blade holder in its desired position.
One version of a preferred locking cap is shown in
The first side of the locking cap includes a recessed portion 68, which is configured to receive the upper post of the julienne blade holder, as best seen in
The lower surface of the locking cap includes a guide 62, which extends beneath the lower surface of the locking cap in the illustrated example. In one version, the guide is configured as a pair of adjacent legs 63, 64, each terminating with a radially outward extending foot. Each of the legs is formed to be somewhat resilient so that they may bend slightly toward one another.
When the locking cap is positioned on the main body 30, the guide 62 is inserted into locking cap track formed as an opening formed in the upper shelf 38 of the main body, as seen in
When the julienne blade holder is in position on the main body, with the upper and lower posts mounted as described above, the upper post 51 extends through the upper mount 90 with the cap spaced above the upper shelf 38. The locking cap 60 can be moved to the first position in which the upper post is positioned within the recessed portion and the cap engages the top of the locking cap. In this first position, the julienne blade holder is restricted against downward movement, thereby holding the fins on the lower post of the julienne blade holder firmly upward, locked in the channels formed in the lower mount 95. The spiral slicer can then be used with the julienne blade holder in a desired locked position.
In order to adjust the julienne blade holder, the locking cap is first moved to the second position, toward the right side of the arrow C in
As described above, in one version a first face of the julienne blade mount includes a first set of julienne blades, a second face includes a second set of julienne blades, and a third face includes no blades. The third face may be used as a storage position, or when spiral slicing is desired without also using julienne blades.
The exposed rear side of the main body is configured to include a blade guard 70. In the illustrated example, the main body includes a rear frame 80 which may be separately attached to the main body, or integrally formed with the main body. As best seen in
In an alternate version of the invention, such as illustrated in
As with the first example above, the alternate example preferably includes an axle 122 and a crank handle 120. It should be appreciated that the crank handle can be replaced with a different structure for rotating the axle and extending it into the blade.
In either version of the invention, or yet other versions, the julienne blades need not be aligned along an edge of the julienne blade holder. For example, as seen in
The blade lock in the above version or in alternate versions of the invention may also vary. For example, the blade lock 160 may move between locking and unlocking positions by rotating rather than sliding. As seen in the top view of an alternate version in
In one example of such a structure, the main body 130 (see
An alternate rotating locking cap 160 is formed with a handle 169 along an upper surface and with a guide 162. The guide is preferably formed as a pair of legs 163, 164 having radially extending feet, and in which the legs are separated by a gap and somewhat flexible toward one another under a force. Consequently, the guide may be snap-fit into the lock mount 192 and be retained in position by the feet. The guide and the lock mount are sized and configured so that the locking cap may be rotated, with the guide rotating within the lock mount.
The rotating locking cap 160 further includes a recessed portion, and in the illustrated example the recessed portion 168 is positioned along a front edge at an intermediate location between a first portion 165 and a second portion 166 of the locking cap. As seen in
When the locking cap 160 is mounted to the main body, it is movable between a first locked position and second unlocked position. In the first locked position, the locking cap is rotated to the position as seen in
In use, the locking cap is moved to the second position (by sliding or rotating, for example) and the julienne blade holder is rotated to its desired orientation. The locking cap is then moved to the first locking position. A vegetable or other item is attached to the holder and the axle is cranked to push the food item against the blades. The crank is further rotated as desired to allow the food item to be sliced by the main blade and, if in position, a desired set of julienne blades.
While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of the preferred embodiment. Instead, the invention should be determined entirely by reference to the claims that follow.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 62/257,119, filed Nov. 18, 2015, the contents of which are incorporated by reference.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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D793181 | Wong | Aug 2017 | S |
9731428 | Levine | Aug 2017 | B2 |
20100263514 | Mah | Oct 2010 | A1 |
20110154998 | Wong | Jun 2011 | A1 |
20150209973 | Hauser | Jul 2015 | A1 |
20170305028 | Zhang | Oct 2017 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
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202862268 | Apr 2013 | CN |
204505355 | Jul 2015 | CN |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20170136643 A1 | May 2017 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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62257119 | Nov 2015 | US |