Removal safeguard for knife blocks

A removal safeguard for a knife block, into which at least one knife having a blade can be inserted, includes a cover part, which has at least one recess, and a template, having at least one cut-out, mounted slidably with respect to the cover part, wherein in a first position the recess and the cut-out are aligned to one another in such a manner that a passage of the blade is possible, and in a second position the passage of the blade is blocked.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is the national stage application under 35 U.S.C. §371 of International Application No. PCT/DE2013/000682, filed Nov. 13, 2013, and claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(a)-(d) of International Application No. PCT/DE2013/000682, filed Nov. 15, 2013 and German Application No. 202012011342.9, filed Nov. 27, 2012, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties for all purposes.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a removal safeguard for a knife block, in which at least one knife can be inserted with its blade.

BACKGROUND

Knife blocks of the above mentioned type are used in many kitchens for the practical storage of various knives. The knives are not only neatly sorted thereby, but the blades are also protected from damage. In particular, in households with small children, such knife blocks have proven to be disadvantageous, because the knives are also stored such that they are freely accessible to children, so that such knife blocks are associated with a significant risk of injury for children.

A further device for the storage of a knife is described in DE 29 702 269 U1. This device has a sheath for receiving the knife blades, wherein the sheath is formed by a base member and a cover, which can be removed from said base member, so that the interior of the sheath is accessible. The device may have a locking device, which engages with the knife handle and, when in a locked state, affixes the knife to the storage device. In this way, the knives are stored such that they are largely inaccessible to children.

The proposed removal safeguard is disadvantageously designed such that it is very complex and has many mechanical lever and locking elements, which can also break off.

SUMMARY

Starting from the known devices, the object of the invention is to provide a simple and stable removal safeguard for a knife block.

This object is achieved by the removal safeguard according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the removal safeguard has a cover part, which has at least one recess, and a template, which is mounted thereon such that it can be moved in a sliding manner, said template having at least one cut-out, wherein, in a first position, the cut-out and the recess are aligned with one another in such a way that it is possible to pass the blade therebetween, and in a second position, passing the blade therebetween is blocked. This removal safeguard is placed on the front side of a conventional knife block, and is detachably or non-detachably connected thereto. As such, in a first position, the recesses of the cover part, the cut-outs of the template and the receptacles of the knife block are aligned with one another in such a way that the knives can be removed from the knife block and re-inserted therein again. In the second position of the template, the recesses as well as the receptacles are at least partially covered by the template, so that the knives cannot be inserted into the knife block, nor can the knives be removed therefrom.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention are described below in the dependent claims.

Different mechanisms are provided in order to move the template. According to a first preferred embodiment, the template is at least partially made of a ferromagnetic material, so that the template can be displaced via the effect of a magnet. As a result, the template is held in the first position by the magnet, in which position the knife can be inserted into the knife block and/or the knife can be removed from the knife block. If the magnet is removed, the magnet no longer exerts an attractive effect on the template, so that said template falls into the second position due to gravity. In this position, the template at least partially covers the recesses and/or the receptacles so that the knives can no longer be removed due to the form-locking storage.

Alternatively, other means of displacing the template are provided. For example, the template may have a pusher, which extends laterally out of the cover part, and which is manually guided. If necessary, the pusher can be locked in the second position by means of a lock element, whereby a child safety device is likewise created.

The removal device is preferably designed as a separate component, which is selectively connected to the knife block. As a result, this provides the user with the advantage, in particular, that the removal device can be removed provided that the child safety device can be dispensed with.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Knife blocks1of the known type comprise a massive block2, which has a standing surface3and an end surface4. Elongated receptacles5are introduced into the angularly disposed end surface4, which are suitable for receiving knife blades6. The knives8can be removed and reinserted into the knife block1in the direction of the arrow7.FIG. 1bshows a front view (from the front view of9,FIG. 1a) of the position of the knives8.

Concrete embodiments of the invention are shown inFIGS. 2a, bandFIGS. 3a-d. Accordingly, a cover part10and a template11are placed on the front side4of the knife block1as a removal safeguard, which template is mounted between the cover part10and the front side4of the knife block1such that it can be moved in a sliding manner in the direction of the arrow12. The ferromagnetic template11is held in the first position by the effect of a magnet13(FIG. 2a), in which the receptacles5are completely exposed so that the knives8can be inserted in the direction of the arrow14.

FIG. 2b, by contrast, shows the second position of the template11, which, without the attractive effect of the magnet13, slides in the direction of the arrow15due to gravity. As such, the template11covers the receptacles5, at least in regions thereof, so that the knives (not depicted inFIGS. 2aand 2b) cannot be removed.

FIG. 3ashows a specific embodiment of a cover part10having recesses31introduced therein, which are formed such that they conform to the receptacles5in the knife block1. By contrast, the template11(FIG. 3b) has L-shaped cut-outs32, so that each cut-out32forms a tab33, the function of which is evident fromFIGS. 3cand 3d. Specifically,FIGS. 3cand 3dshow a cover part10and a template11, which are disposed one behind the other. As such,FIG. 3cdepicts the first position, in which the receptacles5and the recesses31are exposed so that the knives8can be inserted and removed again. Once the magnet13has been removed, the template11is displaced in the direction of the arrow15due to the force of gravity and comes to rest in the second position depicted inFIG. 3d. There, the tabs33close the recesses31and the receptacles5, at least in regions thereof, so that the knives8are stored in a form-fitting manner and cannot be removed. Specifically, the tabs33slide in front of the rear end35of the knife blades6, whereas the knife handles34extend through the cut-outs32.