Abstract:
An automatic cheese shredding and blending device, particularly for applying shredded cheese to pizza. The device can simultaneously shred blocks of multiple types of cheeses, and evenly apply a substantially homogenous blend of a chosen ratio of cheeses to a pizza or other food item. The device requires minimal operator interface. A motor creates relative rotational motion between the cheese blocks and one or more of grating elements to shred the cheese. A controller with a user-friendly operator interface is programmable to operate the device according to a desired use. The device includes an integrated refrigeration unit to keep the cheese fresh. Components are easily removable for cleaning and maintenance.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/956,508, filed on Aug. 17, 2007, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates to a cheese shredder, and more particularly, to an automated cheese shredder that simultaneously shreds and applies a homogeneous blend of cheeses evenly over the top of a pizza. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art. 
         [0004]    In the pizza industry, the shredded cheese topping can be one of the most expensive components of the pizza. Particularly in the modern market, where the prices of dairy products in general are on the rise, members of the food industries are struggling to continue to offer their customers the same products for the same low prices. 
         [0005]    Cheese suppliers charge a significant premium to grate, package, and ship shredded cheese. It is also more expensive and burdensome for restaurants to store bags of shredded cheese than it is to store blocks of cheese. However, procuring block cheese and shredding it before applying it to a pizza is undesirable, as it is extremely labor intensive, less efficient, and just as expensive as purchasing pre-shredded cheese, if not more so. Shredding and mixing a blend of cheeses to achieve a substantially homogeneous mixture of a desired ratio is even more labor intensive and inefficient. Pizza businesses are best suited to concentrate their efforts on their core competency, making better pizza, when preparing the ingredients demands minimal time and effort. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    The present disclosure provides a device that automates the cheese shredding and application process, providing an efficient and cost-effective solution to the problems described above. The device can hold multiple blocks of cheese on a grater disposed above a pizza that is ready to accept shredded cheese. The cheese blocks may all be the same type of cheese, or there may be multiple types, to create a blend of cheeses. A motor and driveshaft create relative motion between the cheese blocks and a grater, simultaneously shredding and applying the cheese evenly onto a pizza below. An operator selects the desired amount of shredded cheese to be dispensed by inputting the corresponding number of motor revolutions into a user-friendly controller interface. A whole number of complete motor revolutions ensures a substantially homogenous blend of shredded cheeses will be applied to the pizza. A refrigeration unit incorporated into the device maintains the freshness of the cheese blocks over the course of a business day. 
         [0007]    The device is easily disassembled, so the components can be quickly removed for cleaning and maintenance. The components that contact the cheese or the pizza can be easily cleaned by hand or in a dishwashing machine. 
         [0008]    Although a minimal amount of operator interface is required, a number of safety features could be incorporated into the device to prevent operator injury. 
         [0009]    Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
     
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way. 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a front view of an automated cheese shredder, according to the principles of the present disclosure; 
           [0012]      FIG. 1   a  is a detail view of the grating elements shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a partial section view of an automated cheese shredder taken along section line  2 - 2  shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a top view of the grater, housing, and the positioning of the pizza pan and posts; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a side view of components shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a top view of the cheese holder, the support members and the housing; 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a section view of the components shown in  FIG. 5  taken along section line  6 - 6 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a front view of an automated cheese shredder according to an alternative embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the housing shown in  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the automated cheese shredder shown in  FIG. 7  including the door, handle, and latching mechanism; 
           [0021]      FIG. 10  is a plan view of a cheese holder according to an alternative embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0022]      FIG. 11  is a plan view of yet another embodiment of the cheese holder according to the principles of the present disclosure; 
           [0023]      FIG. 12  is a plan view of still another embodiment of the cheese holder according to the principles of the present disclosure; 
           [0024]      FIG. 13  is a plan view of a cheese holder according to still another embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0025]      FIG. 14  is a cross-sectional view of a spring mechanism for biasing the pressure plate; 
           [0026]      FIG. 15  is a plan view of a cheese spreader according to the principles of the present disclosure; 
           [0027]      FIG. 16   a  is a cross-sectional view of a grater and a funnel mechanism in a first position; 
           [0028]      FIG. 16   b  is a cross-sectional view of a grater and a funnel mechanism in a second position; and 
           [0029]      FIG. 16   c  is a cross-sectional view of a grater and a funnel mechanism in a third position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0030]    The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features. 
         [0031]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , an automated cheese shredder for applying cheese to a pizza is shown, and is generally referred to as automated cheese shredder  10 . A plurality of cheese blocks (not shown) can be placed on top of grater  12 , inside cheese holder  20 . A plurality of grating elements  13  are disposed over the top surface  14  of grater  12 , as best shown in  FIG. 1   a . Grating elements  13  include shredding edges  15 , that cut cheese shavings from the cheese blocks as grater  12  rotates about its center  16 , relative to the cheese blocks. 
         [0032]    Cheese holder  20  includes dividers  22 , shown in  FIG. 5 , that form a plurality of chambers  24  that position the cheese blocks radially around the center  16  of the grater  12 . It is possible to create a blend of shredded cheese by inserting blocks of different types of cheeses into the chambers  24 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 5 , the three chambers  24  can be filled with two blocks of one type of cheese, and one block of another to create a 2:1 blend of two cheeses. Alternatively, the three chambers  24  can be filled with three different cheeses, to create a 1:1:1 blend of three cheeses. A 1:1 blend can be created when only two of the chambers  24  are filled with different types of cheeses; or if a single type of shredded cheese is desired, one, two, or three of the chambers  24  can be filled with a single type of cheese block. 
         [0033]    A threaded rod  30  having external thread  32  is appropriately fastened to the grater  12 , and extends upwardly through the center hole  26  of the cheese holder  20 . A pressure plate  40  includes an internal thread  33  that is threadably engaged with threaded rod  30 . The pressure plate  40  travels down the threaded rod  30  via threads  32 ,  33 . The threads  32 ,  33  are sufficiently oriented and pitched so that one complete rotation will cause the pressure plate  40  to travel down threaded rod  30  a distance approximately equal to the amount of cheese that the grater  12  will shred from the cheese block during one rotation. The pressure plate  40  applies a continuous downward force F on the cheese blocks, providing sufficient pressure between the cheese blocks and the grater  12 , enabling the grating elements  13  to efficiently cut cheese from the cheese blocks. 
         [0034]    A refrigeration enclosure  50  can be removably fixed to cheese holder  20 , and surrounds threaded rod  30 , pressure plate  40  and the cheese blocks. The refrigeration enclosure  50  keeps the cheese blocks at an appropriate temperature to prevent them from spoiling. Refrigeration enclosure  50  can be removed from cheese holder  20  for cleaning, or to enable an operator to load new cheese blocks. The refrigeration enclosure can include refrigeration coils connected to a refrigeration system or, alternatively, can receive ice inserted therein. 
         [0035]    The inner walls  52  of refrigeration enclosure  50  interfere with rotational movement of pressure plate  40 . In the present embodiment, the pressure plate  40  and the cavity  54 , formed by the inner walls  52  of refrigeration enclosure  50 , are roughly rectangular prisms. The clearance between pressure plate  40  and inner walls  52  is appropriate to allow pressure plate  40  to travel downwardly, while preventing rotation. It should be appreciated that the pressure plate  40  and the cavity  54  can be shapes other than rectangular prisms, and one may employ other appropriate means to rotationally constrain pressure plate  40 . 
         [0036]    A motor  60  includes a driveshaft  70 , which rotationally drives a turntable  80 . Posts  90  are fixed to the top face  82  of the turntable  80  and to the bottom face  17  of the grater  12  to cause rotation of the grater  12  along with the turntable. A pizza pan  100  is removably disposed on the top face  82  of the turntable  80 . The pizza pan  100  is properly positioned below the cheese blocks and grater  12  when its periphery  102  is in contact with at least two of the posts  90 , shown best in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . The pizza pan  100  may contain a pizza (not shown) that is prepared to accept shredded cheese. 
         [0037]    It should be noted that applying cheese to pizza is merely an example of a possible application of the current invention. It should be appreciated that the pan  100  may contain any food item to which shredded cheese may be applied. The term “pan,” as it is used in this specification, refers to any container suitable for containing a food item or for collecting shredded cheese, and does not necessarily need to be a container that is suitable for pizza preparation. It will also be appreciated that the pan  100  need not contain anything at all. An operator may simply choose to utilize pan  100  for collecting shredded cheese for some purpose that may or may not be related to pizza preparation. 
         [0038]    A housing  110  includes a motor mounting interface  112 . The motor  60  can be mechanically connected to the motor mounting interface  112 . Support members  114  can be appropriately fixed to the housing  110 . Cheese holder  20  can be removably mounted to support members  114 , fixing cheese holder  20  above the grater  12  (see  FIGS. 1 and 2 ). 
         [0039]    A controller  120 , disposed within the housing  110 , is electrically connected to the motor  60 . The controller  120  can be programmed to cause the motor  60  to rotate the driveshaft  70  a whole number of 360 degree rotations or any other desired rotational amount. A whole number of 360 degree rotations causes a substantially homogenous mixture of the desired ratio of cheeses to be applied to the pizza. 
         [0040]    A selection dial  130  can be in electrical communication with controller  120 , and can include a plurality of settings  132  available for an operator to select. The settings  132  can indicate the amount of shredded cheese to be dispensed, and could correspond to the amounts of shredded cheese needed for large, medium and small pizzas, and other menu items made with shredded cheese. 
         [0041]    Once the operator loads the cheese blocks into cheese holder  20  and moves selection dial  130  to a desired setting  132 , actuation of an “On” button  134  will allow controller  120  to cause motor  60  to operate, causing the automated cheese shredder  10  to operate until the selected rotations are complete, or until an operator actuates an “Off” button  136 . 
         [0042]    After continued operation of automated cheese shredder  10 , pressure plate  40  will eventually reach the end of its travel along threaded rod  30 , before it contacts the grater  12 . The controller  120  could be adapted to recognize this condition via sensors or switches (not shown) in communication with controller  120 . An operator can then press a “Reset” button  138 , which will cause the motor  60  to drive turntable  80 , and therefore threaded rod  30 , in the opposite direction until pressure plate  40  travels upwardly along threads  32  to the starting point at the top of threaded rod  30 . At this time, an operator may load new cheese blocks into cheese holder  20 . These new cheese blocks may be loaded directly on top of the remainders of the previous cheese blocks, so that they may be completely shredded. 
         [0043]    A funnel mechanism  140  may be mounted to the grater  12  as shown in  FIGS. 16   a - 16   c . The funnel mechanism  140  includes an opening  142 , through which shredded cheese passes upon being cut from the cheese blocks. The funnel mechanism  140  may be adjustable, so as to vary the diameter of opening  142 . The inner walls  144  of the funnel mechanism  140  direct falling shredded cheese into pan  100 , within a desired area. The inner walls can be defined by a two or more movable segments defining a generally cone shaped shutter-type structure, the inner diameter of which can be adjusted by pushing inward or pulling outward on the segments. The segments can be overlapped with a control segment or interconnected or connected by a pantograph or other linkage such that pushing one segment radially inward or outward will cause the other segments to move similarly. As yet another alternative, a draw string-type device can be used to interconnect the segments or a flexible annular material, and to draw them radially inwards and outwards to reduce and enlarge the opening  142 . For square or rectangular pizzas of different sizes, the wall segments can be straight. 
         [0044]      FIGS. 16   a - 16   c  illustrate an exemplary adjustment range of the funnel mechanism  140 . The diameters shown in  FIGS. 16   a ,  16   b , and  16   c  may correspond to the diameters of small, medium, and large pizzas, respectively. Alternatively, funnels having different diameters can be provided and manually inserted by the user for each size of pizza being made. 
         [0045]    The funnel mechanism  140  may be configured to allow an operator to manually actuate a mechanical linkage  146  to adjust the diameter of opening  142 . Alternatively, the funnel mechanism  140  may be configured for electrical communication with controller  120 , so as to allow electrical actuation of linkage  146 . Settings  132  of selection dial  130  may be operable to allow an operator to select a desired diameter of opening  142 . 
         [0046]    With reference to  FIG. 7-9 , wherein common reference numerals are used to represent common elements as disclosed in  FIGS. 1-6 , an alternative embodiment is shown. Automated cheese shredder  300  has a housing  310  containing controller  120  and refrigeration enclosure  350 . In this embodiment, refrigeration enclosure  350  encloses the pizza pan  100 , grater  312 , cheese holder  320 , threaded rod  330 , pressure plate  40 , motor  60 , and motor housing  360 . It should be appreciated that a similar type of refrigeration enclosure may be incorporated into the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-6 . 
         [0047]    Refrigeration enclosure  350  includes a door  355 , a handle  356 , and a latching mechanism  357 , shown in  FIG. 9 . Door  355  allows an operator easy access for loading and unloading pizza pans  100 , loading new cheese blocks, and disassembling various components of automated cheese shredder  300  for cleaning. 
         [0048]    Threaded rod  330  is appropriately connected to motor  60  and rotationally drives cheese holder  320 . Cheese holder  320  includes dividers  22  and openings  24 , which contain the cheese blocks and force them to rotate with cheese holder  320 . Inner walls  352  prevent pressure plate  40  from rotating with threaded rod  330 , so pressure plate  40  will travel downwardly and apply a force F to the tops of the cheese blocks, similar to the previously discussed embodiment. 
         [0049]    Grater  312  is fixed below cheese holder  320 . Grater  312  is constrained in two dimensions by slots  318 , and constrained in the third dimension by door  355  when it is in a fully closed position and latching mechanism  357  is fully engaged. In this embodiment, the shredding work is accomplished by rotating the cheese holder  320  and the cheese blocks relative to a stationary grater  312 . The funnel mechanism  140  may be mounted to grater  312 , and may operate in a similar manner as previously described herein. 
         [0050]    A cheese spreader  360  may be fixed to threaded rod  330 , below grater  312 , as shown in  FIG. 7 . Cheese spreader  360  includes a plurality of blades  362  (shown in  FIG. 15 ) that spin as motor  60  rotates threaded rod  330 . As shredded cheese falls from grater  312 , spinning blades  362  are operable to break up clumps of shredded cheese, and to facilitate even mixture and distribution of the shredded cheese. 
         [0051]    Pizza pan  100  is removably disposed on face  358  of the refrigeration enclosure  350 . The pizza pan  100  is properly positioned below the cheese blocks and grater  312  when its periphery  102  is in contact with at least two posts  390 , shown in  FIG. 8 . 
         [0052]    The function of the controller  120  and the operator interface of automated cheese shredder  300  are substantially similar to that of the previously disclosed embodiment. 
         [0053]      FIGS. 10-13  illustrate examples of alternative embodiments  420 ,  520 ,  620 ,  720  of cheese holder  20 ,  320 . Dividers  22  can be configured in a variety of ways to form a variety of chambers  424 ,  524 ,  624 ,  724 , respectively, depending on the shape of the cheese blocks and the number of cheese blocks that an operator chooses to simultaneously shred and blend. 
         [0054]    The automated cheese shredder  10 ,  300  could include a number of emergency stop systems. For example, controller  120  could terminate power to motor  60  when a sensor (not shown) indicates that door  355  is open and latching mechanism  357  is not engaged. Alternatively, controller  120  could terminate power to motor  60  when a sensor (not shown) detects undue torque on motor  60 , indicating an obstruction. 
         [0055]    As shown in  FIG. 14 , a spring mechanism  400  can optionally be used to apply/absorb forces applied to the pressure plate against the cheese. The spring mechanism can include a threaded nut member  402  threadedly engaged with the screw rod  30 . A coil spring  404  can be disposed axially between the nub member  402  and pressure plate  40  or alternatively, other spring mechanisms can be utilized. The spring can absorb pressure when the pressure plate  40  does not move consistently with the rotation of the threaded rod  30 . 
         [0056]    The components that may contact cheese or any other food item may be metallic, polymeric, ceramic, or any other material that is suitable for contact with food and regular cleaning. In a preferred embodiment, the grater  12 ,  312 , cheese holder  20 ,  320 , threaded rod  30 ,  330 , pressure plate  40 , and pizza pan  100  are easily disassembled from automated cheese shredder  10 ,  300 , and are able to be cleaned by hand or in a dishwasher. 
         [0057]    It should be appreciated that the features disclosed in any of the embodiments discussed in this specification may be combined and/or incorporated into any other embodiment discussed in this specification. The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature; therefore, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.