Abstract:
A processing tool for garlic and like edibles including a container mounted comminuting unit having-upper-and lower sets of spaced linearly aligned blades selectively presented in an upwardly directed operating position upon an inverting of the unit, the blades of each set having a comminuting profile differing from that of the blades of the other set and are selectively engaged by a set of spaced pusher teeth aligned along a sinusoidal path and mounted on an overlying cap for, upon rotation of the cap relative to the comminuting unit, moving an edible through the comminuting blades for the desired comminution thereof, the cap including a separate chamber for preparation of the edible before the comminuting process.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     Hand-held kitchen tools for the comminuting of foodstuffs and the like are well known in the art. While not limited thereto, the present invention is particularly concerned with the processing of garlic for use as a component in food preparation. This will include the basic steps of decorticating or removing the outer skin or shell to expose the garlic cloves, and the slicing, pulverizing or otherwise comminuting of the cloves.  
         [0002]     Earlier forms of garlic tools have generally employed squeeze-type implements wherein, through the manipulation of a pair of hinged arms, a plunger engages within a chamber with a perforated bottom to progressively crush a chamber-received clove with the particle and liquid effluent discharging through the perforated bottom of the chamber. In most instances, a major portion of the clove or cloves will remain within the chamber as a pulverized mass which will normally be discarded.  
         [0003]     Another form of garlic tool will be noted in U.S. Pat. No. 6,945,486 B2, issued to Eric Y. Teng on Sep. 20, 2005. This tool, in the principally disclosed embodiment, includes a pair of interesting pressure units respectively having protruding rows of linearly aligned “grater elements” wherein the grater elements of one row alternate with the grater elements of the second row for what the inventor refers to as a peeling, pressing and grating of unpeeled garlic cloves therebetween. The rotation of the pressure units of Teng relative to each other will result in a corresponding rotation of the elements of the opposed rows about a center of rotation toward alignment wherein all of the elements of one row are in intimate alternating alignment with the elements of the other row. Such an arrangement would appear to move an engaged garlic clove radially outward from the center of rotation along the rather blunt and wide engaging faces of the elements. This in turn would tend to encourage the major crushing action to occur toward the outer circumference of the grating chamber wherein outward movement of the garlic will be limited by the peripheral wall. As such, it is likely that substantial force would be required to maintain the desired twisting action between the two hand manipulated pressure units. Should, to the contrary, the actual grating in Teng occur along the full length of the rows, the linear arrangement of both sets of elements will result in a rotational period wherein all of the elements are aligned. This simultaneous alignment of all of the elements of each set alternating with the elements of the other set with an engaged clove therebetween could also tend to produce increased resistance to rotation.  
         [0004]     Earlier variations of similar hand-rotating comminuting tools will be noted in Winfield et al, 795,746, issued Jul. 25, 1905; and Ross et al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,637,684 B1, issued Oct. 28, 2003.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a food processing tool which constitutes a significant advance in an old and crowded art as noted above. In doing so, the present invention proposes a processing tool particularly adapted for the comminuting or reduction of garlic cloves to small particles. Pursuant thereto, the proposed tool is a self-contained assembly uniquely adapted to handle every aspect of the processing of garlic from the decorticating or removing of the garlic skin to the enclosed collection of the pulverized, minced or sliced particles of the comminuted garlic cloves.  
         [0006]     The processing tool is considered additionally unique in the components thereof which perform the various operational steps in processing the garlic. These include a comminuting insert or unit which includes two sets or series of blades, each set providing a different comminuted product for selective use in accord with the desire of the user. For example, one set of blades can provide for an end product comprising multiple minute slices. The second set of blades can provide for a more complete pulverizing or mincing of the end product. The comminuting insert is invertible to upwardly direct the desired set of blades with the insert removably mounted on an underlying container which can be used to store the garlic cloves prior to processing. The container also has the additional significant function of providing a handle for the insert during manipulation of the tool.  
         [0007]     A cap overlies the comminuting insert and includes a depending set of aligned and spaced pusher elements or teeth which interdigitate or are alternately received within the spaced defined between the individual blades of the upwardly directed set of blades. This interdigitation occurs as the cap and container-mounted insert are rotated relative to each other. This in turn effects a desired movement of the insert received garlic cloves, engaged by the pusher teeth, through the comminuting blades to produce the desired comminuting action. In order to enhance the engagement and movement of the cloves through the blades, and to both facilitate this movement and ensure a more complete utilization of the comminuting blades, the pusher teeth are aligned in a sinusoidal configuration or path presenting a concave configuration along the preferred direction of rotation for each of the radial segments of the set of teeth to the opposite side of the center of rotation. With this arrangement, the garlic has been found to assume a more uniform spread along the full length of the blades rather than being progressively shifted radially outward to the outer extremities of the blade set. This is particularly the situation wherein the concave face of each radial extent of the sinusoidal set constitutes the leading face of the rotating set of teeth. In conjunction therewith, the sinusoidal orientation of the teeth, provides for a sequential passing of the teeth through the blade set for a smoother, easier and more practical comminuting action. In regard thereto and as will be noted from selected figures of the drawings, at no time are the pusher teeth all simultaneously nested with all of the blades, thus providing an effective sequential comminuting action which facilitates rotation of the teeth and blades relative to each other. This contrasts to a situation wherein both the blades and teeth are formed with the elements linearly aligned which requires a substantial rotational period wherein all of the teeth are in cooperative comminuting engagement with all of the blades. As will be appreciated, the actual twisting of rotational movement can be in either rotational direction, or in fact can consist of a back and forth movement, depending on the preferences of the user.  
         [0008]     The tool assemblage also includes a lift-off tray which has a set of openings corresponding to and of a size to accommodate each of the two sets of blades. Each tray fits closely about the blades of an operating set with the blades extending upwardly through the openings for engagement by the pusher teeth. The comminuting action thus occurs in the tray itself with the tray receiving the comminuted clove particles. Subsequent to the comminuting operation, the tray is merely lifted upwardly off of the blades, gathering the comminuted garlic therein for subsequent use.  
         [0009]     The cap is provided with an upwardly opening upper chamber which is sized to receive the lower closed portion of the container upon a removal of the cap from the assembly. The chamber, preferably provided with slight ridges or projections in the lower surface thereof, is adapted to receive a clove as an initial step in the processing. The lower portion of the container is then introduced into the chamber over the clove and rotated within the chamber so as to effectively strip the skin or shell from the garlic cloves. The cloves are then ready for introduction into the comminuting insert.  
         [0010]     From the above, it will be appreciated that the tool, in a compact and highly utilitarian assembly, conveniently provides for the-complete processing of garlic with each of the steps thereof being within a confined environment and utilizing easily effected manipulative steps.  
         [0011]     The objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art as the invention is detailed in the following description of the preferred embodiments. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]     Attention is now directed to the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views and wherein:  
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of the food processing tool of the invention;  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is a top plan view of the tool;  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the components of the tool;  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the comminuting insert with the set of mincing blades upwardly directed;  
         [0017]      FIG. 5  is a similar perspective view with the comminuting insert inverted and with the slicing blades upwardly directed;  
         [0018]      FIG. 6  is a transverse cross-sectional view through the comminuting insert with the mincing and slicing blades illustrated in section;  
         [0019]      FIG. 7  is top perspective view of the cap illustrating the skin peeling chamber;  
         [0020]      FIG. 8  is a bottom perspective view of the cap illustrating the sinusoidal set of pusher teeth;  
         [0021]      FIG. 9  is a top plan view of the inverted cap as shown in  FIG. 8 ;  
         [0022]      FIG. 10  is a top perspective view of the lift-out tray;  
         [0023]      FIG. 11  is a top plan view of the lift-out tray;  
         [0024]      FIG. 12  is a vertical cross-sectional view through the complete assemblage of the components in operating position;  
         [0025]      FIG. 13  is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken substantially on a plane passing along line  13 - 13  in  FIG. 12  and illustrating the slicing blades received through the tray openings and the relationship thereof to the sinusoidal set of pusher teeth;  
         [0026]      FIG. 14  is a similar cross-sectional view wherein the mincing blades are upwardly directed through the tray openings and operationally engaged by the pusher teeth; and  
         [0027]      FIG. 15  is a vertical cross-sectional view illustrating the lower portion of the container engaged within the upwardly directed cap chamber in a manner as to, upon relative rotation therebetween, decorticate or remove the skin or shell of the garlic. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0028]     Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the processing tool  10  of the present invention is basically an assemblage of four interrelating and cooperating components, an upwardly opening base container  12  of a height to function as an easily grasped handle, an invertible comminuting insert or unit  14 , a collecting or lift-out tray  16 , and an overlying cap or cover  18  of an easily grasped and manipulable configuration.  
         [0029]     The container  12  tapers slightly downward from the open upper end or mouth  20  thereof. The lower end of the container  12  has a closed bottom or bottom panel  22  which is slightly upwardly convex as will best be noted in the cross-sectional view of  FIG. 12 . The upper extent of the container  12 , or the wall thereof, is slightly outwardly offset as at  24  and includes, about the inner face thereof below the extreme upper end of the container, a peripheral upwardly directed shoulder  26 . A plurality of equally spaced upwardly extending positioning ribs  28  are provided peripherally about the inner face of the container upper portion  24  in upwardly extending relation from the upwardly directed shoulder  26  toward the open mouth  20  of the container.  
         [0030]     The comminuting insert  14  includes a central flat base or support panel  30  having opposed first and second faces which can alternately be positioned upward to define an upper face upon an inverting of the comminuting insert  14 . A set or series of comminuting blades  32 , 34  are linearly aligned in substantially equally spaced relation to each other diametrically across both faces or surfaces of the panel  30 . Each set of blades  32 , 34  extends radially outward from and to the opposed sides of a center of rotation defined, in each instance, by a projecting cylindrical shaft  36 . The blades  32  are basically slicing blades and are transversely elongate with thin slicing extremities and a convex outer face, that is the face directed toward the outer periphery of the insert  14 , such being the operational face along which the actual slicing occurs. The arcs of these outer faces become progressively greater and flatter outward from the center of rotation to correspond with the path of travel during the comminuting operation about the center of rotation. Noting  FIG. 13  in particular, it will be seen that the slicing blades  32  can be centrally enlarged, as at  33 , on the inner or non-slicing face of the blade so as to provide enhanced strength and stability. It will also be noted, as in  FIG. 5 , the blades  32  taper along the height thereof upward from the support panel  30 .  
         [0031]     The second set of comminuting blades  34 , noting  FIGS. 4 and 14  in particular, are substantially thicker than the blades  32  and present a generally rectangular cross section with relieved or notched vertical edges  35 . Such blades  34  provide blunt leading faces as opposed to the slicing edges of the blades  32  and are intended to produce a mincing action forming small particles as opposed to thin slices generally resulting from use of the slicing blades  32 .  
         [0032]     The comminuting insert  14  also includes a pair of duplicate opposed peripheral walls  38 , extending outward from the opposed faces of the blade support panel  30 . A peripheral flange  40 , substantially coplanar with the support panel  30  extends outwardly peripherally about the insert between the walls  38 . Noting  FIGS. 12 and 15  in particular, it would be seen that the walls  38  are at each of a height so as to engage the outer peripheral edge thereon on the container support shoulder  26  with the peripheral flange  40  simultaneously generally engaging on the upper edge  20  defining the mouth of the container  12 .  
         [0033]     With reference to  FIGS. 3, 4  and  5 , it will also be noted that each of the walls  38  includes a series of peripherally spaced recesses  42  in the outer face thereof which, upon a mounting of the comminuting insert  14  within the container mouth, receive the upwardly directed positioning ribs  28  of the container therein. This relationship stabilizes the insert  14  against rotation relative to the underlying handle-defining container  12 .  
         [0034]     Each of the insert walls  38  also includes a diametrically opposed pair of substantially wider recesses  44  with the upper edge of the corresponding wall inwardly or downwardly offset as at  46  for interlocking engagement with the collecting or lift-out tray  16  as shall be described subsequently. It is to be appreciated that each of the wider recesses  44  is of a width so as to accommodate two adjacent upwardly directed container ribs  28 , thus not interfering with the seating of the insert  14  within the container  12 .  
         [0035]     The collecting tray  16  has a bottom panel  50  conforming in size and configuration to the base panel  30  of the comminuting insert  14  and is adapted to seat on the chosen upwardly directed face thereof during the actual comminuting procedure. In order to accommodate the two sets of comminuting blades  32  and  34 , the tray bottom panel  50  has a linearly aligned series or set of openings  52  formed therein and positioned so as to receive either set of upwardly directed blades. In other words, the blade receiving openings  52 , as will be noted in  FIGS. 13 and 14  in particular, are of a transverse width as to accommodate the relatively wide narrow slicing blades  32 , and are centrally enlarged so as to accommodate the narrower thicker mincing blades  34 . In each case, the openings  52  are of a minimum size as to closely slide over each set of blades to reduce any tendency for the comminuted garlic falling through the openings either during the comminuting operation or as the tray is upwardly removed from the comminuting unit  14 .  
         [0036]     The tray  16  includes a peripheral upstanding wall  54  which, upon a positioning of the tray  16 , is received within and slidably engaged with the inner surface of the corresponding upwardly directed wall  38  of the comminuting unit  14 . The tray wall  54  is of substantially equal height with the corresponding wall  38  with the bottom panel  50  of the tray  16  seating on the blade mounting base panel  30  of the comminuting unit  14 . The tray wall  54  also includes a laterally outwardly directed upper flange  56  which seats on the upper edge of the corresponding wall  38  of the comminuting unit  14  for facilitating a grasping, positioning and removal of the tray  16 . The tray flange  56  is of a transverse width no greater than the width of the upper edge of the wall  38 , thus not interfering with a proper mounting of the cap  18  as shall be described subsequently. Further, while the upwardly projecting set of comminuting blades  32  or  34  will function to properly orient the tray openings, the proper rotational positioning of the tray relative to the comminuting unit  14  is further provided for by diametrically opposed relative wide depending lugs  58  which are integral with the flange  56  and tray wall  54 , and are closely received within the diametrically opposed offsets  46  provided within the alternately upwardly directed walls  38  of the comminuting unit  14 .  
         [0037]     The cap or cover  18  of the tool  10  includes a peripheral wall  60  with a transverse interior base panel  62  dividing the interior of the cap into a deep upper chamber  64  opening upwardly through the cap and a relatively shallower lower chamber  66  opening downwardly. The lower or bottom chamber  66  is of a depth so as to telescopically receive the upper portion of the comminuting unit  14 , noting  FIG. 12  in particular, with the lower edge of the cap wall  60  seating on the peripheral flange  40  for relative rotation between the unit  14  and the cap  18 .  
         [0038]     The undersurface of the cap base panel  62  includes a series or set of aligned pusher teeth  68  rigid therewith and depending therefrom in spaced relation to each other. The teeth  68 , as opposed to the linear aligned blades  32 , 34 , are specifically in an S-shaped or sinusoidal pattern which extends generally diametrically across the panel  62 . The teeth are spaced and so positioned as to interdigitate or rotationally align in the spaces between the comminuting unit blades upon a closing of the cap over the comminuting unit  16 , again noting  FIG. 12 . In order to accommodate the relative rotational movement of the teeth  68  of the cap, particularly in light of the minimal spacing desired between the alternating teeth and blades, the inner faces of the teeth  68 , that is those faces inwardly directed toward the center of rotation, are arcuate with the angle of the arc of the teeth progressively increasing radially outward from the innermost tooth immediately adjacent the center of rotation to the outermost tooth. Thus, the arc inner face of each tooth generally corresponds or is parallel to the arc of an adjacent cooperating blade  32  and will also closely conform to the blunter blades  34  when the teeth and blades align. Note in particular the cross-sectional detail of  FIG. 14 .  
         [0039]     Noting  FIG. 9  in particular, it will be seen that the alignment of the pusher teeth  68  of the cap, while substantially sinusoidal, extend generally along a diametric centerline  70 . However, the opposed radial extents of the aligned teeth, while presenting a concave leading face for both segments when rotated clockwise as viewed in  FIG. 9 , are slightly differently offset from the centerline  70 . More particularly, and noting the upper segment of aligned teeth  68  in  FIG. 9 , the innermost tooth thereof is, as designated by dimension line  72 , centered at a  40  degree angle from the diametric center line  70 . Similarly, the innermost tooth  68  of the lower segment of aligned teeth  68  as viewed in  FIG. 9 , is centered at an angle of 17.5 degree as indicated by dimension line  74 . Oriented in this manner, and as best seen in  FIG. 14 , there is a sequential engagement of the teeth and blades outward from the center of rotation which varies from one radial segment to the other with the full set of teeth  68  at no time being fully engaged with the full set of blades  32 , 34 . The pusher teeth  68  themselves have rather blunt opposed ends  73  to provide for positive pushing faces to engage the cloves and move the cloves past the blades. The blunt ends of each tooth have notched outer vertical corners as at  75 , which are the corners facing the cooperating blade immediately outward thereof for an enhanced gripping and stabilizing of a clove as it is introduced to the blades. These notched corners  75  particularly cooperate with the notched corners  35  on the blunt blades  34  in effecting a positive engagement of the clove therebetween.  
         [0040]     In mounting the cap  18  on the comminuting unit  14  it is desired that, in order to accommodate introduced cloves, the teeth be generally aligned along the upwardly directed set of blades to define compartments to each side thereof for reception of the cloves. Accordingly, an appropriate alignment means, for example a pair of diametrically opposed lugs  76  aligned generally with the diametric centerline of the teeth  68 , is provided for alignment with alignment means  78  on the comminuting unit. The alignment means  78  aligns with the sets of blades  32  or  34 , and can, as an example, be indicia  78  at diametrically opposed points on the outer edge of the comminuting unit flange  40 .  
         [0041]     In order to facilitate rotation of the cap  18  relative to the comminuting unit  14 , the wall  60  of the cap is provided with finger accommodating recesses  80  vertically extending thereon and spaced about the periphery of the cap wall  60 .  
         [0042]     The upwardly opening upper chamber  64  of the cap  16  is specifically configured to rotatably receive the lower portion of the container  12 , note in particular  FIG. 15 , for rotation therein in the initial step of peeling the skin or shell from garlic cloves prior to the actual comminuting steps. In order to enhance the rubbing action on the cloves within the upper chamber  64  as the container lower portion is rotated therein, and to thus facilitate the skin removal, the base panel  62  may be provided with slightly raised arcuate gripping ribs or ridges  84 .  
         [0043]     As a further guide to aligning the teeth with the blades, the ridges  84 , as noted in  FIG. 2  in particular, can have the center line thereof in alignment with the alignment lugs  76 . Thus, by noting the ridges, readily visible on the cap, the user can easily see the position of the teeth relative to the blades.  
         [0044]     In using the tool of the invention, the garlic cloves are skinned or shelled within the upper chamber  64  of the cap  18  by the simple expedient of confining the cloves within the chamber  64  and subjecting the cloves to a rubbing or abrading action by rotation of the lower portion of the container  12  therein. The skin, separated from the clove in this manner, is easily retrieved and discarded.  
         [0045]     The comminuting unit  14  is then positioned within the upper end of the container  12  with the desired blade set  32 ,  34  upwardly directed. The lift-off or collecting tray  16  is positioned within the unit  14  with the blades engaged through the tray openings  52  and exposed thereabove. The skinned cloves are then put into the comminuting unit  14  to each side of the set of operating blades.  
         [0046]     In order to effect the comminuting operation, the cap  18 , with the depending teeth  68 , is then rotatably positioned over the comminuting unit  14  with the teeth and blades in substantial alignment and accommodated between the unit-received cloves positioned to each side of the blades. As noted above, alignment of the teeth and blades is facilitated by the cooperating alignment means  76  and  78 . The mincing, slicing, pulverizing or otherwise comminuting of the cloves is then effected by a rotation of the cap  18  relative to the comminuting unit  14  by a grasping of the cap in one hand and the container  12  in the other and twisting the components relative to each other. While not limited to, it is preferred that the concave side of each segment of the radial extents of the teeth constitute the leading face and define the preferred direction of rotation of the blades relative to the teeth. In this manner, there is a tendency to confine the cloves, during the actual pulverizing thereof, along the full extent of the teeth. This, in conjunction with the sinusoidal configuration of the set of teeth operating in conjunction with the linear set of blades, and the avoidance of the simultaneous engagement of all of the teeth with all of the blades, facilitates the relative rotation between the components, enhances the pulverizing action, and reduces the actual force required to achieve the pulverization.  
         [0047]     Once the pulverization is complete, the teeth and blades are preferably again aligned to collect the comminuted material in piles to each side thereof for easy removal. The cap  18  is then removed and the collection tray  16  lifted upwardly so as to remove the pulverized material from the set of blades and out of the recessed blade compartment. The collected pulverized material can then be used or stored as desired. The dual function of the container  12 , both as a convenient handle means for the assembly during the comminuting operation, and as a storage means for the garlic cloves before the comminuting operations is particularly desirable in providing the self-container, multi-functional tool desired.  
         [0048]     The foregoing is illustrative of the principles of the invention, and while a specific embodiment of the invention has been set forth in detail, it is to be appreciated that variations may occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.