Abstract:
A device is provided for cutting and/or de-silking corn on the cob. A single unit has a base and a removable cover. A brush for use in removing silks is mounted on one side of the base, and a cutter is mounted on the other side. When it is desired to use the tool on one side instead of the other, the cover is placed over the other tool. The cover then is used as an easy-to-grip palm-fitting structure to push the brush or the cutter along the ear of corn.

Description:
[0001]    This invention relates to devices for preparing corn-on-the-cob to be eaten. More specifically, the invention relates to devices for use in cleaning the silks of the corn away from the corn-on-the-cob, and to cutter devices for removing the corn kernels from the cob. 
         [0002]    Devices have been proposed and sold in the past for removing silks from the cob. Cutters also have been proposed for removing corn kernels from the cob. 
         [0003]    Some of the prior corn cutters suffer from the problem that an elongated handle gets in the way of the cutting operation and tends to make it difficult to use. 
         [0004]    It also has been proposed in the past to mount both a brush and a cutter on a single elongated handle, with the blade of the cutter being positioned so that the handle is perpendicular to the corn cob as the device is used to cut the corn off of the cob. This device, it is believed, also is relatively awkward to use, and has other shortcomings limiting its commercial acceptability. 
         [0005]    As a result, known prior devices for cutting corn from the cob, and for removing silks from the corn to be cooked, have generally been awkward to use, and otherwise less than fully satisfactory. 
         [0006]    Another problem with prior cutters is that the blades often do not cut the corn to a consistent depth; that is, sometimes, the blades dig into the cob too deeply or not deep enough. 
         [0007]    Therefore, it is the object of the present invention to provide a corn preparation device which eliminates or alleviates the foregoing problems. 
         [0008]    More specifically, it is an object to provide a device which can be held easily in the hand while cutting corn from the cob, or while removing silks from the corn cob, and with only minimal contact between the hands of the user and the corn. 
         [0009]    It also is an object of the present invention to provide a protective holder for the corn cutter to keep it from cutting inadvertently. 
         [0010]    It is a further object to provide such a device which is easily convertible from de-silking brush to a cutter so that both functions can be provided in a single compact device. 
         [0011]    In accordance with the present invention, the foregoing objectives are met by the provision of a single structure which is easy to grasp and can be used either as a corn cutter in cutting corn from the cob, or as a brush for removing silks from the cob. 
         [0012]    The foregoing is accomplished by the novel construction in which a base member is provided with first and second opposing faces of a relatively broad extent. Extending from a first one of the surfaces is a brush, and extending from the opposite one of the surfaces is a cutter. A cover is provided to cover either one of the two implements. The cover fits securely onto the body so as to form a palm-fitting pushing structure against which the user can push. The device can be converted from a cutter to a de-silking brush, or vice versa, simply by moving the cover from one surface to the other. 
         [0013]    The invention further provides a cutter blade which is sharpened on both sides of the edge. This tends to guide the blade in a straight path, not forcing it to dig too deeply or cut too shallowly in passing through the corn. 
         [0014]    Because the cover forms a palm-fitting structure for the device, it is believed to be easier to use and to push than certain other devices which have an elongated handle, and tends to hold the fingers of the user out of contact with the corn, thus minimizing such contact and minimizing covering the fingers with messy food juices, butter, and minimizing potential contamination. 
     
    
     
         [0015]    The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in or apparent from the following description and drawings. 
         In the Drawings: 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of the scrubber-cutter device of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is a bottom perspective view of the two units shown in  FIG. 1  assembled together with parts of the structure cut away to better illustrate the device; 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is a bottom perspective view of the base member of the present invention with the brush assembly removed and the bottom portion facing upwardly; 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is an end elevation view, partially cut away, of the device shown in  FIG. 2  with the cover reversed to the bottom side to cover the cutter and leave the brush exposed; 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  is a bottom plan view of a brush unit which fits into the base member shown in  FIG. 3 , with the bristles on the other side of the structure shown in  FIG. 5  and therefore not visible; 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  is a bottom plan view of the interior of the structure shown in  FIG. 3 , with a bridge element positioned in the structure to help support the brush member; 
           [0022]      FIG. 7  is a side elevation view of the bridge member piece shown in  FIG. 6 ; and 
           [0023]      FIG. 8  is a broken-away cross-sectional view through the cutting blade taken along line  8 - 8  of  FIG. 2 . 
       
    
    
     GENERAL DESCRIPTION 
       [0024]    Referring first to  FIG. 1  of the drawings, a fresh corn cutter and de-silker  20  is shown in an exploded view. 
         [0025]    The device  20  includes a base member  22  with a brush  40  extending upwardly from the base on a first side  36  of the base, and (referring to  FIG. 2 ) a corn cutter  48  with a blade  52  extending from the lower surface  38  of the base member. A cover  24  is provided. Cover  24  has side walls  28  and  30 , and a curved upper surface  26  which has a decorative finish simulating the look of an ear of corn. The cover  24  is shown lifted above the base  22 , as is customary in an exploded view. 
         [0026]    When it is desired to use the cutter  48  on the bottom surface  38  to cut corn off of the cob, the cover is placed over the brush by pressing the cover down over the edge  32  and against a ledge  34  extending circumferentially around the side of the base  22 . By this means, the cover is fastened securely to the base. The assembled unit is comparable in size and shape to a bar of soap, and can be fitted into the palm of the hand of the user to push the blade  52  longitudinally through the corn-on-the-cob to strip the fresh corn kernels from the cob. 
         [0027]      FIG. 4  of the drawings shows the cover  24  reversed and attached to the bottom edge of the base member  22  so that it covers the cutter  48 . This leaves the brush  40  exposed so that it can be used to de-silk the corn. 
         [0028]    Whether the device is used for de-silking the corn or cutting it, the cover forms a convenient, fairly tall grippable structure which fits neatly into the palm of an adult hand, much like a bar of soap. The cover provides an upwardly spaced gripping surface which raises the fingers of the hand above the surface of the corn so that the fingers are not so easily soiled and so that the corn tends to be more protected from possible contamination by contact with the fingers. When the device is stored, the cover can cover either the brush or the cutter. If it covers the cutting blade, this protects against accidental cutting of objects or fingers. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     1. Base Member 
       [0029]    The base member  22  is shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 . Referring particularly to  FIG. 3 , the base member is a molded plastic part with a projecting ridge  34  around the periphery with slight extensions of the ridge at  35 . The projections  35  are used as grippers to hold the body member with one&#39;s fingers when the cover  24  is being removed or replaced on the body. The vertical walls are curved as at  62  and  64  in a shape approximating the curvature of a typical ear of corn. The base member is shaped to accommodate the ear of corn, both on the bottom surface  38  and the upper surface  36 . 
       2. Brush Structure 
       [0030]    The brush structure  40  is illustrated in  FIGS. 1 ,  4  and  5 . The brush structure is a single molded part comprising a molded bristle base  42  and molded brush bristles formed in the same molding operation. Low density polyethylene is the material of which the base and bristles are made so as to make them relatively soft and flexible. 
         [0031]    The underside of the brush unit is shown in  FIG. 5 . Flexible vertical plastic walls  80  form an elongated rectangular shape to match that of the base member  22  and to fit into the cavity  60  shown in  FIG. 3  with an interference fit. Tabs extend from the opposite short ends  44  of the bristle base to facilitate removing and replacing the bristle base in the base member  22 , thus providing means for separating the parts for washing. 
         [0032]    As it can be seen in  FIG. 4 , the upper surface of the bristles and the upper edge of the bristle base  42  are given with a curvature approximating that of an ear of corn. 
         [0033]    Referring again to  FIG. 5 , in the longitudinal center of the bristle base structure shown in  FIG. 5  is a reinforcing rib  82 . A projection  84  is formed which, when the bristle base  42  is fitted into the base member  22 , extends downwardly by a predetermined distance to abut against a surface  90  (see  FIG. 6 ) of a bridge member  86  which is fitted into the cavity  60  of the base member  22  shown in  FIG. 3 . This provides vertical support for the flexible bristle base and bristles to prevent undue distortion under the scrubbing force or cutting force applied by the user. 
       3. Cover 
       [0034]    The cover  24 , which is shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  4 , has a thumb-shaped recess  43  ( FIG. 1 ), two pairs of slight projections  49  located above and below the projection or flange  34 , and two slight vertical projections on the internal surface of the side wall  28  of the cover to mate with the projections  49  to provide a secure but releasable friction fit between the cover and the base member. The thumb recess  43  increases the degree of effective projection outwardly of the areas  35  which facilitates gripping of the cover and the base to push them together or pull them apart. 
         [0035]    The cutter  48  and its blade  52  are best seen in  FIGS. 2 ,  4  and  8 . The cutter  48  comprises a blade which is generally U-shaped with a curvature in the direction shown in  FIG. 3  so as to approximate the curvature of an ear of corn. 
         [0036]    Referring again to  FIG. 3 , the base member  22  has a pair of through holes  72  and  74 , and a pair of upstanding projections,  76  and  78  near the holes. 
         [0037]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , the cutter  48  includes the blade  52  with two legs  54  extending through the body  22 .  FIG. 3  shows those legs  54  are attached to the projections  76  and  78  to anchor the legs of the cutter solidly. The legs are attached by adhesive and ultrasonic bonding. 
         [0038]    The bridge member  86  is shown in  FIG. 7  and it forms two vertical receptacles  92  and  94  into which the projections  76  and  78  fit, with a pair of tabs  98  and  100  to fit into the holes  72  and  74 . The bridge has a curved undersurface as shown at  96  to match the curvature of the lower surface of the structure shown in  FIG. 3 . That curvature includes a raised portion  66  flanked by recessed portions  68  and  70 . 
       4. Cutter 
       [0039]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , the cutter  48  includes a blade  52  with serrated cutting teeth  50 . The cutter blade preferably is made of hard stainless steel of the type and quality used in food processor blades so that it maintains its sharpness for a long time. 
         [0040]    The undersurface  38  of the cutter/de-silker device has a longitudinal recess  46  which helps to allow the corn kernels to pass underneath the blade without being cut up any more than necessary. 
         [0041]      FIG. 8  is a broken-away, cross-sectional view of the blade  52 . The forward cutting edge is ground to be beveled on both sides of the cutting edge, as shown at  102  and  104 . This has the advantage that the edge shape does not force the blade downwardly towards the corn cob to cut more of the corn kernels than is desired, nor upwardly to cut too little. This is in contrast to those prior cutters whose blades have been ground only on one side. 
         [0042]    Some of the advantages of the invention have been described above. Others include the fact that the assembled device  20  is relatively broad compared with prior devices. This allows a somewhat greater width for the cutting blade of the cutter, therefore allowing more to be cut with each stroke than in some prior devices, and yet does not require the use of excessive force. Similarly, the greater width increases the width of the brush  40  compared with some prior devices, thereby increasing the coverage of the brush and, hence, the speed of the de-silking process. 
       5. Materials 
       [0043]    Some of the materials of which the device shown in the drawings is made have been mentioned above. The base  22  and the bridge  86  preferably are made of high impact polystyrene, and the cover  24  preferably is made of SAN. 
         [0044]    These materials can be replaced by other suitable materials, within the skill of those experienced in the art. 
         [0045]    The above description of the invention is intended to be illustrative and not limiting. Various changes or modifications in the embodiments described may occur to those skilled in the art. These can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.