Spiral slicer

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.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This application relates to devices for cutting vegetables in a spiral shape.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

As shown inFIG. 1, a preferred spiral slicer10includes a housing formed in a conical shape having a base13and a vertex14. 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.

In the illustrated example, the slicer housing10is formed in two portions or halves11,12(though the portions need not be evenly sized) that are pivotally connected along a pivot location20and 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 clasp40is attached to a first one of the cone halves11and is configured to selectively connect or disconnect to the opposite half, or second one of the cone halves12, to enclose or open the cone, as desired.

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 slicer10. 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 inFIG. 1. This axial insertion and combined rotation will cause the food item to encounter the blade30, slicing the food item in a circular fashion as it is inserted and rotated. As shown, the blade30is positioned at a location along the interior sidewall of the cone, and in this case mounted on the first cone half11.

With reference toFIG. 2, the halves11,12of the cone are hingedly attached along a hinge barrel extending outward from the cone. The barrel is formed by an upper knuckle23and lower knuckle24positioned on the first cone half11, and a central knuckle22positioned on the second cone half12. 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, seeFIG. 8) mating with complementary recesses formed in adjacent knuckles. It should further be appreciated that the cone halves11,12need not be formed as evenly divided halves, but rather one section or the other of the cone portions11,12may be larger than the other. As discussed below, the outwardly-extending hinge knuckles provide a useful handle for grasping the slicer when in use.

The seam of the cone opposite the hinge is configured to open and close, and therefore includes a clasp40configured to enable the user to open and close the cone as desired. As further discussed below, the configuration ofFIG. 3is positioned with julienne blades52in a retracted position, in which they are moveable between extended and retracted positions by a knob51. As also visible inFIG. 3, the julienne blades52are positioned adjacent the clasp, where the two cone halves open and close.

The clasp40is hingedly attached to the first section11of the slicer cone, as seen inFIG. 4. In the illustrated example, the clasp includes an upper terminal42and lower terminal41configured to attach to upper and lower clasp knuckles15,16formed on the first cone section11. 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 inFIG. 8, the upper and lower clasp knuckles may include recesses75,76for receiving mating pegs formed in the upper and lower terminals41,42. 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.

In the position ofFIG. 4, the clasp40includes an opening45configured as a cutout between the upper and lower terminals41,42. A plurality of julienne blades52is 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 inFIG. 4, the slicer is configured to cut spiral slices using the slicing blade30, but is not configured to also cut the food item into small strips with the julienne blades52. As further discussed below, the julienne blades52are configurable between the retracted position and extended position by grasping and rotating the knob51.

FIG. 5shows the slicer in an open position in which the two sections or halves11,12have been pivoted to an open position along the hinge.FIGS. 6 and 7likewise show the slicer in an open position, but from different perspectives. As seen in these figures, the clasp40includes a pair of clips43,44formed on a terminal end of the clasp, opposite the clasp hinge, and configured to mate with complementary clip surfaces61,62formed on the opposite cone section12. 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.

In the position ofFIGS. 5-7, the knob51(and therefore the julienne blades52) has been rotated in the direction of the arrow shown inFIG. 5. This counterclockwise rotation from the position inFIG. 4is preferably a rotation of 90 degrees, causing the julienne blades to rotate from the retracted position to the extended position ofFIG. 4to the extended position ofFIG. 5. Thus, as shown inFIG. 5, the julienne blades52are directed inward, toward the middle of the cone. Most preferably, the knob51includes a relatively flat side51awhich faces outward when the julienne blades are in the retracted position, and an adjacent rounded side51b(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.

As seen inFIG. 6, the second cone section12is preferably formed with a mating open edge that is recessed along a central portion18as compared to the edge17formed at the upper rim13. 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 cutout25positioned at a central location along the open edge is formed in order to accommodate a portion of the knob51when the knob is rotated to the extended julienne blade position.

With reference to the exploded view ofFIG. 8, the julienne blade cartridge50is best seen and includes a knob51attached to a blade post formed with an upper section53and a lower section54. In the illustrated version, the knob and upper and lower blade posts are integrally formed. The blade post preferably includes a generally flat edge58which is configured to provide a surface for mounting the set of julienne blades52. Thus, the julienne blades are most preferably formed in a triangular shape, in which a base59is attached to the blade post along the flat edge58of the blade post, and the sharpened angled surface extends outward from the post. In the illustrated example, the knob51preferably includes an outer surface (indicated by the reference number51inFIG. 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 pins55,56. 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 inFIG. 8, the pins55,56are received in mating recesses formed in the blade post and also in recesses72,74formed on upper and lower supports71,73formed on the first conical section11. This manner of attachment allows the blade post to rotate as described above.

When the blade post rotates to a deployed or extended position, the outer surface51aof the knob51will abut the inner edge47(seeFIG. 7) of the opening45formed in the clasp, thereby preventing over-rotation of the set of blades. Similarly, in the retracted position, a portion of the adjacent surface51bon the knob51abuts a surface on the first conical section11to 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.

As also best seen inFIG. 8, the main slicing blade30is formed with a sharpened edge and a gap35between the blade30and an adjacent mounting plate34to 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 support32having a recessed seat33configured to receive the mounting plate. As seen inFIG. 9, the blade support is then attached to an outer surface of the first cone section11to mount the blade to the cone section. The blade and blade mount are positioned over an elongated opening19(seeFIG. 8) formed in the first cone section11.

In use, a user first selects whether to move the set of julienne blades to an extended or retracted position by operating the knob51in 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 inFIG. 1) with respect to the slicing cone causes the food item to encounter the julienne blades (if extended) and the main slicing blade30. Slices of carrot or other food item pass through the opening35adjacent 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.