Abstract:
A one piece tool for removing the leaves, stem and core from different sizes and shapes of strawberries. The handle portion is comprised of grooved straight arms connected by a resilient hinge bend for ease of cleaning. The modified composite split funnel head portion with cutters and stopper ears, pierces the fruit and prevents palatable fruit flesh from being extracted.

Description:
REFERENCES CITED 
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                 October 2006 
                 Miller 
               
               
                   
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                 August 1998 
                 Poulos et al. 
               
               
                   
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                 Shirkey 
               
               
                   
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                 2,376,135 
                 May 1945 
                 Frasher 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to tools for removing a strawberry&#39;s leaf, stem and core. These tools are generally used in restaurant kitchens and bars, residential kitchens and for industrial food handling applications. Such tools are intended to fill the need for removing strawberry leaves, stems and cores at a fast rate and at high volume. 
         [0003]    Previous tool applications penetrate the strawberry from its bottom, requiring guesswork for centering, piercing and removing leaf, stem and core, or they pinch the leaf and stem from its top. Those tools that penetrate from the bottom waste more palatable strawberry flesh than necessary. And those that pinch from the top are often ineffective, failing to pull the core from the strawberry. Additionally, previous tools were unable to perform proficient removal on different sized strawberries or irregularly shaped strawberries such as double hybrids. Further, previous strawberry tools were overly complex and hard to clean. 
         [0004]    Accordingly, the present invention addresses the need for an easy to use, easy to clean, fast and proficient strawberry leaf, stem and core removal tool that can accommodate strawberries of any shape or size. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The aforementioned needs for a better strawberry leaf, stem and core removal tool are met by the present invention which pierces from the top of the strawberry and pulls the core out guided by the leaf stem while leaving the strawberry intact without marring or destroying the appearance of the strawberry and provides an appetizing addition to be stuffed, sliced or enjoyed as is. The tool is simple to operate and handle. The tool has built-in stopping notches that prevent user from removing strawberry flesh, by penetrating only to the bottom of the core. 
         [0006]    The hinge bend nestles comfortably at the base of the user&#39;s index and middle finger, leaving the ends of the fingers and thumb free to align with and close on tool&#39;s arms and split head. The user holds the strawberry opposite the hand holding the tool. The sharpened head then penetrates the strawberry at the base of the leaf with relatively little force, with the split funnel head grabbing around the leaf, stem and core. The user then pushes the tool down to the stop-notches, twists the tool slightly, either clockwise or counter clockwise, and then with firm pressure withdraws the tool with core and leaf/stem system inside it. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the present invention known as the split funnel head strawberry leaf stem core extractor tool. The tool is shown, held by one hand in a ready-to-use state, with the opposite hand holding a strawberry, aligned in the correct working position. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a plan view showing a blank, non-folded state of the split funnel head strawberry leaf stem core extractor tool known as the “present invention.” 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is an open top elevational view of the formed and folded present invention, showing the position of parts, or embodiments, in relationship to each other. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged open front end elevational view of the present invention, showing identically formed right and left halves of the split funnel head with semi-circular notches and stopper ear embodiments. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a closed top elevational view of the present invention, showing composite split funnel tapering head, with conjoined semi-circular stop-notches. 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged closed frontal elevational view of the present invention, showing the circular back edge of the composite split funnel head, and the serrated oval distal edge of the split funnel head. 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is an inside left arm sectional view of the present invention, showing one identical arm and the position of its parts in relation to each other, and the placement of a formed axial inner groove on each identical arm of the tool, shown by a shaded area. 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  shows enlarged cross-sectional views taken at locations b, c, d and e, indicating the diminishing formed inner axial groove of  FIG. 7 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  is an enlarged fragmentary, quarter perspective view of the split funnel head, showing the rotary, spiral and serrated cutting edges of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 10  shows an extracted strawberry core and crown with stem and leaf intact. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0017]    As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplificative of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limited, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the integrity of the present invention in virtually any appropriate detailed structure. 
         [0018]    The reference numeral  10   FIG. 1  generally refers to a split funnel head strawberry leaf, stem and core extractor tool in accordance with the present invention as shown in  FIGS. 1-10 , hereafter referred to as tool  10 . Tool  10  is comprised of a handle  12  with a u-shaped resilient hinge bend  40  and two radiating grooved arms  20   a,    20   b.  A composite head  14   FIG. 5 ,  FIG. 6  with split funnel components  30   a,    30   b  of  FIG. 5  completes tool  10 . 
         [0019]    The plan view of tool  10  as seen in  FIG. 2  shows a rectangular flat strip of stainless steel, molded plastic, or other suitable material. The handle  12  includes a hinge portion  40  extending from either side of midpoint M to broken lines F′, F where identical straight arms  20   a,    20   b  begin and extend to include semi-circular stop notches  22   a,b,c,d,  ending at G′,G respectively. 
         [0020]    The head portions  30   a,    30   b  begin at broken lines G′, G and include 7 degree tapering sides  31   a,b,c,d  terminating at distal ends  32   a,    32   b.    
         [0021]    The fabricated elevational view  FIG. 3  of tool  10  is symmetrical with respect to a central axis x. An angle α is used to represent the u-shape of hinge bend  40  and opened outwardly extended arms  20   a,    20   b  of handle  12 . 
         [0022]    To minimize a lengthy and redundant description of the tool  10   FIG. 1  and use of the embodiments of both arms  20   a  and  20   b,  and the head portions,  30   a  and  30   b,  the view  FIG. 7  of the present invention will be utilized.  FIG. 7  is a cross-section view, taken at the central x axis of  FIG. 3 , showing a one half inside section of tool  10  designated as tool  10 ′. Because arms  20   a  and  20   b,  as well as the head portions  30   a  and  30   b  are identical, the embodiments of one arm  20   a  and one head portion  30   a,  will be used to give an overview of the composite present invention tool  10 , unless otherwise noted. 
         [0023]    Referring to  FIG. 7 , starting at the apex of angle α  FIG. 3  of the u-shaped resilient hinge bend  40 , the straight arm portion  20   a  of tool  10 ′ extends to the back corners of the two opposing semi-circular stop notches  22   a,    22   b.  These two corners, being slightly and inwardly distorted, during the fabrication of the split head  30   a,  form two stopper ears  24   a,    24   b.  These two stopper ears  24   a,    24   b  serve to limit the depth of the closed composite split funnel head  14   FIG. 5  of the present invention tool  10 , when the open head  30   a,    30   b  of  FIG. 3  closes around the strawberry&#39;s  50 , leaves and stem  48 , and is caused to penetrate the strawberry&#39;s crown  46   FIG. 1 . 
         [0024]    In the fabrication of the split head portion  30   a    FIG. 7  of the tool  10 ′, an axial diminishing groove  17   a  is formed on the inside of arm  20   a,  beginning at the front corners G′ of the semi-circular stop notches  22   a,    22   b,  and ending just before the terminating curve of the resilient hinge bend at F′. 
         [0025]    The cross-sectional views of arm  20   a    FIG. 8  at positions b, c, d, and e, shown on  FIG. 7 , represent the gradual diminishing axial groove  17   a  of  FIG. 7  which, in itself, serves to stabilize the arm  20   a  from moving side to side or warping, while also strengthening the rigidity of the arm when pressed in use, as seen in  FIG. 1 . This strengthening groove  17   a    FIG. 7 , which continues toward the curve of the hinge bend at F′, also influences the strength and longevity of the resilient hinge bend  40  and can increase this influence if extended further into the hinge bend at F′. 
         [0026]    The head  30   a    FIG. 7  of tool  10 ′ begins at G′ on the front corners  26   a,    26   b  of the semi-circular stop notches  22   a,    22   b  as indicated on the cross-sectional view of  FIG. 7 , and terminates with a pre-filed inside serrated cutting piercing edge  36   a    FIGS. 7 and 9  at the distal end  32   a  of tool  10 ′. This head portion  30   a  starts with a semi-circular axial bend  17   a.b    FIG. 8  beginning at G′ which decreasingly runs the length of the split head. 
         [0027]    These uniformly semi-circular axial bends found in both half sections  30   a , 30   b  of tool  10  allows the measured 7 degree angled sides  31   a,b  and  31   c,d  of the half head portions  30   a,    30   b  in the plan view  FIG. 2  to butt together and form the decreasing composite funnel effect of  14   FIG. 5 , which becomes a composite oval  34   FIG. 6  at tool  10 ′s distal end. In  FIG. 6 , the composite circular  33  and oval  34  axial bends working together in the composite split funnel head  14  portion allows tool  10  to accommodate strawberries of varying sizes and shapes. 
         [0028]      FIG. 9  is the enlarged fragmentary half perspective view of head  30   a    FIG. 7 , and shows one  38   b  of the two rotary cutting edges of the head  30   a,  and also shows one  37   b  of the two spiral cutting edges of stop notch  22   b.  Furthermore, these cutting edges  38   b  and  37   b,  formed by bending and twisting during the axial bending of the split head  30   a , can be sharpened in a knife-edge fashion, if so desired. 
         [0029]    In use,  FIG. 1 , a person holds a strawberry  50  in the fingers of one hand  35   b,  and the opposite hand  35   a  loosely holds the handle  12  of tool  10  in palm of hand  35   a  while the index finger and thumb of hand  35   a  gather, twist and pinch together the leaves and stem  48 , if any, of strawberry  50 . Next, the hinge bend end  40  of tool  10  nestles at base of middle and index fingers of hand  35   a,  leaving thumb and index finger of  35   a  free to align with and press on both arms  20   a,    20   b  of tool  10  shown in  FIG. 1 . As described, the hand  35   a  holding the tool  10 , lightly clamps the halves of the split funnel head  30   a,    30   b  around the gathered leaves and stem  48  of strawberry  50  still held by hand  35   b.  The composite split funnel head  14   FIGS. 6 and 5 , is lightly pushed into the crown  46  of strawberry  50   FIG. 1 , and around the inside core  44   FIG. 10 , until the four composite stopper ears  24   a, b, c, d  of  FIG. 6  come to rest on crown  46  of strawberry  50 . While squeezing closed arms  20   a , 20   b  of handle  12  of tool  10  and twisting strawberry  50  with fingers of hand  35   b  around the composite split funnel head  14  inside of strawberry  50 , either clock-wise or counter clock-wise, the core&#39;s crown, sides and bottom will become detached from strawberry  50  by the composite cutting edges  38   a , 38   b  and  37   a , 37   b  partially shown in  FIG. 9  of the composite split funnel head  14  in  FIG. 6 . 
         [0030]    The leaves and stem  48  and core  44  will be extracted from strawberry  50  as gripping funnel head  14  of tool  10  is removed. Releasing grip on arms  20   a,    20   b  will drop leaves and stem  48  and core  44  intact from tool  10 ′s open split head  30   a,    30   b,  ready for next strawberry. After removal of the leaves and stem  48  and core  44 , the unmarred and undamaged strawberry  50  provides an appetizing addition to the palette to be stuffed, coated, or enjoyed as is presented. To say the least, the split funnel head strawberry leaf stem core extractor tool is simple to operate and effortlessly cleaned.