Abstract:
A cone-type spiral slicer includes a blade along the sidewall for cutting a vegetable into thin strips. The housing is formed in a first portion and a second portion that are separable from one another. A retractable set of julienne blades allows the user to selectively use the slicer for cutting either wide strips or narrow julienne strips.

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 62/222,343, filed Sep. 23, 2015, the contents of which are incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This application relates to devices for cutting vegetables in a spiral shape. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    A cone-type spiral slicer can include a blade along the sidewall for cutting a vegetable into thin strips. One of the defects of such devices is that they do not include the ability to selectively allow either wide strips or thin julienne strips to be cut in the same device and using the same blade. In addition, the devices are formed with a fixed cone and mounted blade, making it difficult to clean bits of food from the device, particularly in the narrow, pointed end of the cone forming the device. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The present invention comprises a housing, preferably formed as a cone, having an open base and, in some versions, an open vertex or pointed end. An elongated blade is positioned along a sidewall, extending between the vertex and the base, with an opening adjacent the blade to allow a sliced food item to pass through the opening after it is cut by the blade. 
         [0005]    In accordance with a preferred version, a selectable set of julienne blades is provided along another section of the conical sidewall and preferably extending along a sidewall length that is about equal to the length of the main slicing blade. 
         [0006]    In one version, the set of julienne blades can be optionally moved between an extended position and a retracted position, allowing a user to selectively either use the julienne blades for cutting or stow the. 
         [0007]    A preferred spiral slicer is formed to allow the conical housing to move or pivot between a closed position for use and an open position for cleaning. In one example, a clasp is pivotally mounted to provide a means for locking and unlocking the pivotal connection to open and close the cone. 
         [0008]    In one example, the julienne blades are mounted on a blade post adjacent the clasp, with a knob accessible through an opening formed in the clasp so that the julienne blades can be selectively extended or stowed by operating the knob through the opening. 
         [0009]    In one version, the clasp extends outward from the outer sidewall to provide a handle for grasping the spiral slicer. Optionally, the cone portions are pivotally connected to one another via a hinge formed with one or more raised knuckles, in which the raised knuckles extend outwardly from the cone. In this version, the combined clasp and raised knuckles provide convenient surfaces for a user to grasp the device in a controllable way. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    Preferred and alternative examples of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of a preferred spiral slicer. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a rear elevational view of a spiral slicer. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a bottom perspective view of a spiral slicer. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a front elevational view of a spiral slicer. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a top perspective view of a spiral slicer, shown in an open position in which two halves forming the slicer are hinged apart. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a bottom perspective view of a spiral slier, shown in the open position. 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a front elevational view of a spiral slicer, shown in the open position. 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is an exploded view of a spiral slicer. 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  is a side elevational view of a spiral slicer, shown in the open position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0020]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , a preferred spiral slicer  10  includes a housing formed in a conical shape having a base  13  and a vertex  14 . In the illustrated example the cone is shown as essentially inverted, with the vertex at the bottom and the base at the top. As a device intended to be hand-held, the orientation may vary according to the manner a user prefers to hold the device when in use. The base and vertex preferably are each open, and in the illustrated example the base is formed as a large open rim of the spiral slicer, allowing it to receive relatively large vegetables or other items for slicing. The vertex, by contrast is relatively narrow and terminates in a small opening in the illustrated version. 
         [0021]    In the illustrated example, the slicer housing  10  is formed in two portions or halves  11 ,  12  (though the portions need not be evenly sized) that are pivotally connected along a pivot location  20  and which bifurcate the housing into substantially equal portions. The pivot location or hinge extends along a portion of the inclined sidewall of the cone. Each of the two portions includes a vertex end and a base end, so that each portion mates with the other portion along interfaces extending from the base to the vertex. Accordingly, and as discussed further below, the cone can pivot between an open and a closed position, primarily to facilitate cleaning of the slicer. The first and second portions pivot along the hinge, and have opposite sides that mate along an interface between the vertex end and the base end. A clasp  40  is attached to a first one of the cone halves  11  and is configured to selectively connect or disconnect to the opposite half, or second one of the cone halves  12 , to enclose or open the cone, as desired. 
         [0022]    In general, the slicer is operable by a user to slice a food item (such as a carrot, for example) by inserting the food item into the cone in the direction of the arrow indicated by axis A, which extends through the center of the cone forming the slicer  10 . As the food item is axially inserted, it is also rotated about the central axis A in the direction of the rotational arrow shown about the axis A in  FIG. 1 . This axial insertion and combined rotation will cause the food item to encounter the blade  30 , slicing the food item in a circular fashion as it is inserted and rotated. As shown, the blade  30  is positioned at a location along the interior sidewall of the cone, and in this case mounted on the first cone half  11 . 
         [0023]    With reference to  FIG. 2 , the halves  11 ,  12  of the cone are hingedly attached along a hinge barrel extending outward from the cone. The barrel is formed by an upper knuckle  23  and lower knuckle  24  positioned on the first cone half  11 , and a central knuckle  22  positioned on the second cone half  12 . The knuckles may be joined together by a separate pin extending through the knuckles, or by one or more integrally formed pins (e.g.,  81 , see  FIG. 8 ) mating with complementary recesses formed in adjacent knuckles. It should further be appreciated that the cone halves  11 ,  12  need not be formed as evenly divided halves, but rather one section or the other of the cone portions  11 ,  12  may be larger than the other. As discussed below, the outwardly-extending hinge knuckles provide a useful handle for grasping the slicer when in use. 
         [0024]    The seam of the cone opposite the hinge is configured to open and close, and therefore includes a clasp  40  configured to enable the user to open and close the cone as desired. As further discussed below, the configuration of  FIG. 3  is positioned with julienne blades  52  in a retracted position, in which they are moveable between extended and retracted positons by a knob  51 . As also visible in  FIG. 3 , the julienne blades  52  are positioned adjacent the clasp, where the two cone halves open and close. 
         [0025]    The clasp  40  is hingedly attached to the first section  11  of the slicer cone, as seen in  FIG. 4 . In the illustrated example, the clasp includes an upper terminal  42  and lower terminal  41  configured to attach to upper and lower clasp knuckles  15 ,  16  formed on the first cone section  11 . As with the cone sections, the clasp preferably attaches to the first cone section by mating pegs and recesses integrally formed in the knuckles and the upper and lower terminals. For example, as best seen in  FIG. 8 , the upper and lower clasp knuckles may include recesses  75 ,  76  for receiving mating pegs formed in the upper and lower terminals  41 ,  42 . The clasp and cone half may be otherwise attached to one another to allow for the clasp to pivot about an axis on the cone half. 
         [0026]    In the position of  FIG. 4 , the clasp  40  includes an opening  45  configured as a cutout between the upper and lower terminals  41 ,  42 . A plurality of julienne blades  52  is partially visible through the opening, in which the blades are oriented essentially parallel to the conical sidewall and therefore in a retracted position. Thus, in the retracted position, the julienne blades do not extend into the interior space of the cone. In an extended position, the julienne blades would be directed inward, toward the central axis of the cone and into the interior space defined by the cone. Accordingly, in the position as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the slicer is configured to cut spiral slices using the slicing blade  30 , but is not configured to also cut the food item into small strips with the julienne blades  52 . As further discussed below, the julienne blades  52  are configurable between the retracted position and extended positon by grasping and rotating the knob  51 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 5  shows the slicer in an open positon in which the two sections or halves  11 ,  12  have been pivoted to an open positon along the hinge.  FIGS. 6 and 7  likewise show the slicer in an open position, but from different perspectives. As seen in these figures, the clasp  40  includes a pair of clips  43 ,  44  formed on a terminal end of the clasp, opposite the clasp hinge, and configured to mate with complementary clip surfaces  61 ,  62  formed on the opposite cone section  12 . Most preferably, the clips and complementary clip surfaces are formed with shapes in which a reasonable prying force is required in order to disengage them from one another in order to open the clasp and therefore hinge the cone into an open position. Likewise, the clasp is preferably configured to snap to a locked position when the clips and complementary clip surfaces engage one another in the closed position. 
         [0028]    In the position of  FIGS. 5-7 , the knob  51  (and therefore the julienne blades  52 ) has been rotated in the direction of the arrow shown in  FIG. 5 . This counterclockwise rotation from the position in  FIG. 4  is preferably a rotation of 90 degrees, causing the julienne blades to rotate from the retracted positon to the extended position of  FIG. 4  to the extended position of  FIG. 5 . Thus, as shown in  FIG. 5 , the julienne blades  52  are directed inward, toward the middle of the cone. Most preferably, the knob  51  includes a relatively flat side  51   a  which faces outward when the julienne blades are in the retracted position, and an adjacent rounded side  51   b  (at an orthogonal face, but continuing in a rounded fashion about the perimeter of the knob), which faces outward when the julienne blades are in the extended position. 
         [0029]    As seen in  FIG. 6 , the second cone section  12  is preferably formed with a mating open edge that is recessed along a central portion  18  as compared to the edge  17  formed at the upper rim  13 . The recessed area is configured to allow space for movement of the julienne blades into the retracted position and back into the extended position. A middle cutout  25  positioned at a central location along the open edge is formed in order to accommodate a portion of the knob  51  when the knob is rotated to the extended julienne blade position. 
         [0030]    With reference to the exploded view of  FIG. 8 , the julienne blade cartridge  50  is best seen and includes a knob  51  attached to a blade post formed with an upper section  53  and a lower section  54 . In the illustrated version, the knob and upper and lower blade posts are integrally formed. The blade post preferably includes a generally flat edge  58  which is configured to provide a surface for mounting the set of julienne blades  52 . Thus, the julienne blades are most preferably formed in a triangular shape, in which a base  59  is attached to the blade post along the flat edge  58  of the blade post, and the sharpened angled surface extends outward from the post. In the illustrated example, the knob  51  preferably includes an outer surface (indicated by the reference number  51  in  FIG. 8 ) that extends radially outward along a radial direction C from an axis B formed by the blade post and a pair of upper and lower pins  55 ,  56 . The julienne blades also extend radially outward along a radial D form the same blade post axis, forming an angle α between radials C and D, which is preferably about 90 degrees. Accordingly, rotation of the knob and the blade post through the same angle α will move the julienne blades between the extended and retracted positions. As further illustrated in  FIG. 8 , the pins  55 ,  56  are received in mating recesses formed in the blade post and also in recesses  72 ,  74  formed on upper and lower supports  71 ,  73  formed on the first conical section  11 . This manner of attachment allows the blade post to rotate as described above. 
         [0031]    When the blade post rotates to a deployed or extended position, the outer surface  51   a  of the knob  51  will abut the inner edge  47  (see  FIG. 7 ) of the opening  45  formed in the clasp, thereby preventing over-rotation of the set of blades. Similarly, in the retracted position, a portion of the adjacent surface  51   b  on the knob  51  abuts a surface on the first conical section  11  to prevent rotation of the blades into an orientation where they would extend outward from the cone. Accordingly, the blade post and the blades are restricted to a rotational path of travel of 90 degrees in the preferred version. 
         [0032]    As also best seen in  FIG. 8 , the main slicing blade  30  is formed with a sharpened edge and a gap  35  between the blade  30  and an adjacent mounting plate  34  to allow food to pass through the gap when it is sliced. Most preferably the blade and mounting plate are integrally formed from stainless steel and bent along the gap as illustrated in order to provide a strong surface for attachment. The mounting plate of the blade is mounted to a support  32  having a recessed seat  33  configured to receive the mounting plate. As seen in  FIG. 9 , the blade support is then attached to an outer surface of the first cone section  11  to mount the blade to the cone section. The blade and blade mount are positioned over an elongated opening  19  (see  FIG. 8 ) formed in the first cone section  11 . 
         [0033]    In use, a user first selects whether to move the set of julienne blades to an extended or retracted position by operating the knob  51  in order to rotate the blade post and julienne blades, as discussed above. A food item such as a carrot is inserted into the open base of the cone until it encounters the blades, and is then rotated as it is inserted into the cone. The rotation of the food item (in the direction of the circular arrow in  FIG. 1 ) with respect to the slicing cone causes the food item to encounter the julienne blades (if extended) and the main slicing blade  30 . Slices of carrot or other food item pass through the opening  35  adjacent the main slicing blade, and are also cut into narrow strips if the julienne blades are extended. The outward position of the hinge barrel and the clasp provide useful grips allowing the user to hold the device when slicing. 
         [0034]    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.