FOOD PREPARATION APPARATUS

Abstract: A food preparation device comprising a food cutter (10) adapted to cut food into desired ornate configurations. Preferred embodiments include food cutters having an outer cutting blade (16) attached to a blade support (12) attached to holding portions (18, 20) wherein the cutting blade is adapted to conform to the exterior outline of the desired configuration. The outer cutting blade has an upper cutting edge (40) supported at a position above the blade support, and a blade thickness sufficient to allow the food cutter to be inserted in the food and removed leaving the desired configuration cut substantially intact in the food and readily separable from the food in the desired configuration. Other preferred embodiments include food cutters with inner cutting blades (26) supported on the same or a separate blade support (24) and adapted to provide desired inner features within the desired configuraton.

Description: FOOD PREPARATION APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to food cutting devices and more specifically to food cutting devices adapted for cutting food into a desired ornate shape or configuration. One method of enhancing the consumer's interest in -a given food is to vary the form in which the food is presented. Included in such variation is the technique whereby the food is cut into a desired configuration which is esthetically pleasing to the consumer. Examples of such ornately prepared food products are known and include baked goods such as animal-shaped crackers, Christmas cookies, and the like. The cutting device employed to produce the desired . shaped, food product may include a knife, although hand- cutting the design is tedious and leads to variation in results. Typically the preparer employs a hand-held cutter which has a cutting edge shaped to conform to the outline of the desired configuration. The cutter is inserted in a layer of dough rolled into a flat sheet and removed leaving the configuration cut in the dough or stuck inside the cookie cutter. The cut design is then removed from the dough or cookie cutter and placed in an oven for baking. The above-mentioned cutters, often generally referred to as "cookie cutters" produce acceptable results when used on relatively flat, soft food products such as rolled dough. However, other food products not susceptible of or not desired to be prepared in a dough form cannot be readily cut into the desired ornate con- figurations with a cookie cutter. Vegetables, fruits and other firm natural foods break apart or become lodged in a cookie cutter (making removal of the con¬ figuration difficult or impossible) when .one attempts to cut them with the cookie cutter. Further, the metal employed in most cookie cutters is usually too soft and/or thin to cut firm fruits or vegetables without bending. Cookie cutters are also intended to prepare one cut food product per use, requiring that the cookie cutter be inserted and removed from the food for each desired ornamental food product, thus increasing the probability of the food breaking apart or becoming lodged within the cutter. Cutting firm vegetables or fruits into ornate designs by hand with a knife is very tedious and unlikely to produce consistent results. Of interest to the present invention are the following reports of food cutting devices intended to cut rolled soft dough or vegetables into relatively simple configurations: Hewett, U.S. Patent No. 337,329; Compton.U.S. Patent No. 493,684; Carsley, U.S. Patent No. 865,628; and Spence, et al., U.S. Patent No. 944,700. Hewett discloses a biscuit cutter for cutting rolled dough into multiple hexagonal-shaped biscuits. Compton discloses a cylindrical potato chopper intended for chopping cold boiled potatoes into pieces for reheating and for cutting cakes and pastries. The Carsley patent describes a cylindrical vegetable cutter or chopper having concentric cylindrical cutting mem¬ bers. Spence, et al. discloses a cylindrical combina¬ tion vegetable and pastry cutter, the pastry cutter being of a relatively shallower cylindrical depth rela¬ tive to the cylindrical vegetable cutter and serving as the handle for the vegetable cutter when attached thereto. Of particular interest to the present inven¬ tion is the fact that no vegetable or fruit cutter reported provides for ornate configurations to be cut into the food apart from cylindrical or circular shapes which do not greatly enhance the esthetic appeal of the food product. It also appears that all the reported vegetable cutters would require multiple insertions into and removals from the vegetable to provide more than one cylindrical or circular configuration food product. There exists, therefore, a need in the art for simple, easy to use food cutters which provide ornate cut configurations from vegetables, fruits and other firm foods. BRIEF SUMMARY The present invention provides novel food cutter devices for cutting food such as vegetables, fruits and other firm food products into ornate desired configurations which when cut remain substantially intact in the food and which are readily separable from the food in the substantially intact desired configura- tion. Food cutter devices according to the invention are adapted to provide ornately cut food products from a variety of vegetables and fruits such as carrots, turnips, squash, potatoes, apples or any other firm vegetable or fruit. A presently preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a food cutter comprising a blade support and a cutting blade attached to the blade support, the cutting blade being adapted to conform to the exterior outline of the desired configuration and having a cutting edge supported at a position above the blade support sufficient to allow the cutting blade to be inserted in the food and removed leaving the desired configuration substantially intact in the food and readily removable from the food in the substantially intact desired configuration. A second preferred embodiment of the present invention includes food cutter devices comprising a blade support, an outer cutting blade attached to the support and adapted to conform to the exterior outline of the desired configuration, and inner cutting blades attached to the support within the exterior outline defined by the outer cutting blade and adapted to pro¬ vide internal features corresponding to the exterior outline of the desired configuration. Both the outer and inner blades have cutting edges supported at posi¬ tions above the blade support to allow the blades to be inserted in the food and removed leaving the desired configuration cut substantially intact in the food and readily removable from the food in the desired configu- ration. Another presently preferred embodiment of the present invention includes food cutters comprising outer cutting blades, inner cutting blades and two blade sup¬ ports. One blade support supports the outer cutting blades which are adapted to conform to the exterior outline of the desired configuration and the other blade support supports the inner cutting blades which are adapted to provide internal features corresponding to the exterior design within the exterior outline defined by the outer blade. Both blade supports are adapted to support the cutting edges of the inner and outer cutting blades at positions above the supports to allow the blades to be inserted and removed either separately or simultaneously from the food leaving the desired con- figuration cut substantially intact in the food and readily separable from the food in the substantially intact desired configuration. Numerous aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description, along with the accom¬ panying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings, FIG. 1 is an elevated perspective view of one embodiment of a food cutter in accordance with the present invention showing a pine¬ apple configuration food cutter; FIG. 2 is an exploded elevated perspective view of the food cutter shown in FIG. 1 showing the cutting means providing the exterior outline of the pineapple supported on one cutting means support and the cutting means providing the interior features of the pineapple being supported' on a second cutting means support; FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the food cutter of FIG. 1 taken along section line 3-3 of FIG. 1 and showing the food cutter being readied for insertion in and removal from food; FIGS. 4-6 are fragmentary sectional sequential views of one manner of operation of the food cutter shown in FIG. 3; FIG. 7 is an elevated perspective view showing separation of the pineapple configuration resulting from the operation of the food cutter shown in FIGS. 3-6 from the food; and FIG. 8 is an elevated perspective view of another embodiment of a food cutter in accordance with the present invention showing a pineapple configuration food cutter having the cutting means providing the exterior outline of the pineapple and the structures providing the interior features supported by the same cutting means support. - 6 - DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to the drawings, and more particu- larly to FIGS. 1 and 2, according to the present inven¬ tion there is provided a food cutter 10 comprising an outer cutting means support 12 having a surface 14 sup¬ porting outer cutting means 16 and having holding means 18 and 20 rigidly attached to outer cutting means sup- port 12, and an inner cutting means support 22 having a surface 24 supporting inner cutting means 26 and having fingergrips means 28 and 30 rigidly attached to inner cutting means support 22. Outer cutting means support 12 and inner cutting means support 22 may be constructed of metal or any other strong material which provides a surface adequate to rigidly support outer cutting means 16 and inner cutting means 26 and maintain the inner cutting means at a position within the outer cutting means. As illustrated here, the outer cutting means support and inner cutting means supports consist of flat stainless steel metal sections capable of being brought into contact with one another allowing inner cutting means 26 to be brought into alignment within hole 32 in outer cutting means support surface 14 and within outer cutting means 16. Holding means 18,20, and 28,30 are rigidly attached to cutting means support surfaces 12 and 22, respectively, and consist of metal or other strong material of a shape adequate to provide the food cutter user with sufficient grip to securely hold the food cutter. As illustrated here, the holding means comprises fingergrips consisting of angle sections pro¬ vided by bending the outer edges of the respective stainless steel metal cutting means support so that the fingergrip portions for inner cutting means support 22 is capable of being brought into close contact with the corresponding fingergrips 18 and 20 of the outer cutting means support 12, providing a means for further align¬ ment of inner cutting means 26 within the outer cutting means 16. As best shown in FIGS. 1-3, outer cutting means 16 comprises a cutting means having an interior configuration adapted to conform to the exterior outline of the desired configuration of the cut food product. As illustrated here, outer cutting means 16 consists of a blade means having a lower blade edge support portion 36 rigidly attached to the outer cutting means support surface 14 and rigidly supporting an intermediate blade portion 38 rigidly supporting an upper blade cutting edge 40. Outer cutting means 16 may be constructed of heavy plastic, metal or any other material capable of being shaped into the desired configuration, providing a cutting edge capable of cutting the food and being strong enough to maintain the desired configuration during cutting of the food. The outer cutting " blade illustrated here consists of a stainless steel cutting blade shaped by machine stamping strip stainless steel into a die and soldering the ends together by hand to provide the desired configuration and soldered to outer cutting means support surface 14 to extend generally perpendicular from the surface. Intermediate portion 38 of the cutting blade has a blade thickness and is con¬ structed to provide a cross section across the desired configuration sufficient to prevent the food from being overly compressed during cutting and thus facilitating the cutting process and preventing the food from becom- ing lodged in the food cutter. As illustrated here, the cutting blades are attached generally perpendicular to the outer cutting support surface, and provide a sub¬ stantially uniform cross section across the food product at a given depth cut. Cutting edge 40, as shown here, is provided by selecting stainless steel strips of a relatively small thickness or by hand-filing the upper edge of outer blade 16 after lower blade support portion 36 is welded to outer blade support surface 14 when brass cutting blades are employed, although other well- known methods of attachment and/or providing the upper cutting edge 40 may also be utilized. Outer cutting blade 16 extends generally outward from blade support surface 14 to provide outer cutting blade edge 40 at a position sufficient to allow the cutting blade to be inserted into the food and removed leaving the desired configuration substantially intact in the food. I have found that food cutters according to the invention hav¬ ing stainless steel cutting blades of about 1/10 inch (.254 cm) thickness aligned to prevent over-compression of the food during cutting and ease of insertion and having an outer cutting edge at a position of about 3/4 inch (1.905 cm) above the cutting blade support surface to be a presently preferred embodiment for cutting a variety of vegetables and fruits. Positioning the cutting edge at greater or lesser positions above the support on other thickness blades aligned to prevent over-compression of the food during cutting may also provide the desired result of providing the desired configuration substantially intact in the food depending on the firmness and thickness of the food to be cut. Depending on the materials employed, the cutting blade and blade support may be coated with chrome or other non-corrosive coating to prevent the cutter from discoloring the food product. Similarly, as best shown in FIGS. 1-3, food cutter 10 may also comprise inner cutting means 26 hav¬ ing an interior configuration adapted to conform to interior features of the desired configuration of the cut food product. As illustrated here, inner cutting means 26 consists of blade means having lower blade edge support portions 46 rigidly attached to inner cutting means support surface 24 of inner cutting means support 22 and rigidly supporting intermediate blade portions 48 rigidly supporting inner blade cutting edge 50. Inner cutting means may be constructed of the same material used in the construction of outer cutting means such as stainless steel other metal or other strong material and coated with a non-corrosive coating such as a chrome coating if necessary. As shown here, the inner cutting means consists of stainless steel blades machine-shaped to conform to the interior features of the desired con- figuration and attached to inner cutting means support surface 24 by soldering lower inner blade edge support portion 46 to the surface or by other well-known attach¬ ment procedures. The inner cutting means are attached to support surface 24 at positions which bring them into alignment within hole 32 cut into outer cutting means support surface 14 thereby positioning the inner cutting means within the configuration defined by outer cutting means 16. Inner cutting edges 50 are preferably pro¬ vided at about the same position above the- outer cutting blade support surface as outer cutting edge 40 when the inner cutting means support surface is brought into contact with the outer cutting means support surface so as to provide a similar depth cut in the food. The inner cutting means also preferably have intermediate portions 48 of a thickness and are constructed to pro¬ vide a cross section sufficient to prevent food from becoming overly compressed and sticking inside the inner cutting means during cutting, although retention of food within the inner cutting means is not critical since the interior features of the desired configuration are pro¬ vided by removal of the cut interior features from the desired configuration. To facilitate removal of food retained in interior cutting means cleaning holes 52 may be provided in inner cutting means support surface 24 adjacent the interior of the inner cutting means. Ornate food products are provided according to this embodiment of the invention best shown in FIGS. 3-7 as follows. The chosen food 42 is prepared by slicing rounded edges on opposite sides to provide flat surfaces 52 and 54 on opposite sides. Prepared food 42 is placed on a flat surface such as a table or cutting board, food cutter 10 is held by fingergrips 18,20 and 28,30 above one surface of the food and exterior cutting means 16 and interior cutting means 26 are inserted in the food by pushing the food cutter into the food as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Interior cutting means 26 may then be removed by pulling interior cutting means support 22 out of the food by fingergrips 18,20 leaving interior cut features 56 in the food as shown in FIG. 5. Exterior cutting means 16 may then be removed from the food leaving exterior cut desired configuration 58 in the food as shown in FIG. 6. The food is then turned on one side and sliced by a knife 60 or other slicing means across the cut area of the food, the desired cut con- figuration 62 falling out of each slice as shown in FIG. 7 until the slice includes food not cut by the food cutter. According to another embodiment of the present invention, best illustrated by FIG. 8, food cutter 70 comprises a cutting means support 72 having a cutting means support surface 74 rigidly attached to holding means 76 and 78 on opposite sides of the cutting means support, the cutting means support supporting both exterior cutting means 16 and interior cutting means 26. Food cutter 70 may be constructed utilizing the same materials and procedures outlined above for con¬ struction of food cutter 10 except that interior cutting means 26 are attached to the same cutting means support surface 74 as the exterior cutting means 16 at position within the exterior outline defined by the outer cutting means. Interior cutting means cleaning holes may be provided in the surface adjacent the interior of the interior cutting means if necessary. Food cutters according to the present inven¬ tion provide for ornately cut food products from vegetables, fruits and other firm foods to be made without causing the desired configurations to break apart or become lodged in the food cutter. The desired configurations, being cut in the food product substan¬ tially intact, are readily separable from the food by simply slicing the food across the cut area, allowing the user to make two or more ornate configurations of the same or varying thickness determined in part by the use intended for the ornate food product. Food cutters of the present invention are also simple to operate allowing for use in the home as well as commercial use. Numerous modifications and variations of the invention as illustrated above and in the drawings are expected to occur to those skilled in the art. As one example, the above description illustrates food cutters wherein the cutting means support surfaces are substan¬ tially flat and the cutting means are attached substan¬ tially perpendicular to the support surfaces to provide the cutting edges at positions allowing for the desired configuration to be cut in the food substantially intact and readily separable therefrom in the substantially intact desired configuration. Similarly, the cutting means support surfaces and/or the cutting means may be curved or other shapes and still provide adequate cuts of the desired configurations substantially intact in and separable from the food product. Consequently, only those limitations that appear in the appended claims should be placed on the invention as above described.

Claims: WHAT IS CLAIMED IS: 1. In a food cutter adapted to cut food into a desired configuration having a cutting means support rigidly supporting a cutting means and food cutter holder means, the improvement comprising: a cutting means adapted to conform to the exterior outline of said desired configuration, having a lower cutting means edge support portion, an inter- mediate cutting means portion and an upper cutting means edge portion, said lower cutting means edge support portion rigidly attached to said cutting means support and rigidly supporting said intermediate cutting means portion extending generally outwardly from said cutting means support and rigidly supporting said upper cutting means edge portion, said u per cutting means edge portion being rigidly supported at a position above said cutting means support sufficient to allow said cutting means to be inserted in food and removed leaving said desired con¬ figuration substantially intact in the food and separable from said food in said substantially intact desired configuration. 2. A food cutter according to Claim 1 wherein said cutting means support comprises outer food cutter holder portions and a central cutting means support portion rigidly supporting said cutting means. 3. A food cutter according to Claim 1 wherein said cutting means comprises an upper cutting edge por¬ tion rigidly supported by said intermediate cutting means portion at a substantially uniform position above said cutting means support along the length of said upper cutting edge portion. 4. A food cutter according to Claim 3 wherein said cutting means comprises an upper cutting edge por¬ tion rigidly supported at a substantially uniform posi¬ tion above said cutting means support and an inter- mediate blade portion of a thickness sufficient to enable said exterior of said desired configuration to be cut in food upon insertion of said food cutter and said desired exterior configuration to be left substantially intact in said food upon removal of said food cutter and readily separable from said food in said substantially intact desired exterior configuration. 5. A food cutter according to Claim 4 wherein said cutting means provides a cross section across the desired configuration sufficient to enable said exterior of said desired configuration to be cut in food upon insertion of said food cutter and said desired con¬ figuration to be left substantially intact in said food upon removal of said food cutter and readily separable from said food in said substantially intact desired exterior configuration. 6. A food cutter according to Claim 5 wherein said upper cutting edge portion is rigidly supported at a substantially uniform position above said cutting means support to provide for said desired configuration to be cut into said food at a depth sufficient to allow two or more of said desired exterior configurations to be readily separable from said food in said substan- tially intact desired configuration. 7. A food cutter according to Claim 2 wherein said cutting means support comprises a substantially planar cutting means support surface. 8. A food cutter according to Claim 7 wherein said cutting means comprises a cutting blade means rigidly attached by said lower edge support portion to said cutting means support surface and extends generally perpendicularly outward from said cutting means support surface. 9. A food cutter according to Claim 8 wherein said cutting blade means comprises an upper cutting edge portion rigidly supported by said intermediate cutting blade means portion at a substantially uniform position above said cutting means support along the length of said upper cutting edge portion. 10. A food cutter according to Claim 9 wherein said upper cutting edge portion is rigidly sup- - ported at sai <d substantially uniform position above said cutting means support by said intermediate portion hav¬ ing a blade thickness sufficient to enable said exterior of said desired configuration to be cut in food upon insertion of said food cutter and said exterior configu¬ ration to be left substantially intact in said food upon removal of said food cutter and readily separable from said food in said substantially intact desired exterior ■ configuration. 11. A food cutter according to Claim 10 wherein said upper cutting edge portion is rigidly sup¬ ported at a substantially uniform position above said cutting means support to provide for said desired con¬ figuration to be cut into said food at a depth suffi¬ cient to allow two or more of said desired exterior configurations to be readily separable from said food in said substantially intact desired configuration. 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A food cutter according to Claim 1 wherein said cutting means support comprises outer food cutter holder portions and a central cutting means sup- port portion rigidly supporting said outer cutting means and said inner cutting means. 14. A food cutter according to Claim 1 wherein said outer cutting means comprises an outer upper cutting edge portion rigidly supported by said outer intermediate portion at a substantially uniform position above said outer cutting means support along the length of said outer upper cutting edge portion. 15. A food cutter according to Claim 14 wherein said inner cutting means comprises an inner upper cutting edge portion rigidly supported by said inner intermediate portion at * a substantially uniform position above said inner cutting means support along the length of said inner upper cutting edge portion interior to and substantially equal to said substan¬ tially uniform position of said outer upper cutting edge portion. 16. A food cutter according to Claims 14 or 15 wherein said outer cutting means and said inner cutting means comprise an outer upper cutting edge por¬ tion and an inner upper cutting edge portion rigidly supported at said substantially uniform positions above said outer cutting means support and comprise outer intermediate portions and inner intermediate portions of thickness sufficient to enable said exterior outline and said interior features of said desired configuration to be cut in food upon insertion of said food cutter and said exterior configuration to be left substantially intact in said food upon removal of said food cutter and readily separable from said food in said substantially intact desired exterior configuration. 17. A food cutter according to Claim 16 wherein said outer cutting means and said inner cutting means provide a cross section across the desired con¬ figuration sufficient to enable said desired configura¬ tion to be cut in food upon insertion of said food cutter and said desired configuration to be left sub- stantially intact in said food upon removal of said food cutter and readily separable from said food in said desired configuration. 18. A food cutter according to Claim 13 wherein said cutting means support comprises a substan¬ tially planar cutting means support surface. 19. A food cutter according to Claim 18 wherein said outer cutting means and said inner cutting means comprise cutting blade means rigidly attached by said respective lower edge support portion to said cutting means support surface and extending generally perpendicularly outward from said cutting means support surface. 20. A food cutter according to Claim 19 wherein said outer cutting blade means comprises an outer upper cutting edge portion rigidly supported by said outer intermediate cutting blade means portion at a substantially uniform position above said cutting means support along the length of said outer upper cutting edge portion. 21. A food cutter according to Claim 20 wherein said inner cutting blade means comprises an inner upper cutting edge portion rigidly supported by said inner intermediate cutting blade means portion at a substantially uniform position above said cutting means support along the length of said inner upper cutting edge portion and at a position substantially equal to the position of said outer upper cutting edge portion above said cutting means support. 22. A food cutter according to Claims 20 or 21 wherein said outer upper cutting edge portion and said inner upper cutting edge portions are rigidly sup¬ ported at said substantially uniform position above said cutting means support by said respective intermediate portions having blade thicknesses sufficient to enable said exterior outline and said interior features of said desired configuration to be cut in food upon insertion of said food cutter and said exterior configuration to be left substantially intact in said food upon removal of said food cutter and readily separable from said food in said substantially intact desired exterior configura- tion. 23. A food cutter according to Claim 22 wherein said outer upper cutting edge portion and said inner upper cutting edge portions are rigidly supported at a substantially uniform position above said cutting means support to provide for said desired configuration to be cut into said food at a depth sufficient to allow two or more of said desired exterior configurations to be readily separable from said food in said substan- tially intact desired configuration. 24. In a food cutter adapted to cut food into a desired configuration having a cutting means rigidly supported by a cutting means support rigidly supporting a food cutter holder means, the improvement comprising: a cutting means support comprising Ul LJ to to H μ* Ul o Ul O Ul o Ul S3 3 rt 01 β Hi 3 Ω 3 to 3 μ- Ω Ul 3 T to o 3 TJ Φ Ω 3 a 3 S3 rt 0i rt rt μ- Φ μ- 3 TJ rt Φ 0 Φ β Φ 3 β 0i φ O β 01 β Φ o a β Φ Φ Φ μ- μ- 3 Φ μ- rt Oi ua a TJ o 01 ft Qi TJ Oi 3 It μ- Oi rt TJ rt rt 0 ) rt ua rt 0i to 01 rt ua Ω a 3 * 3 μ- Φ 3 3 It 3 TJ 3 Φ rt a 3 ft TJ a Φ 3 rt Φ rt 3 μ- 3 3 * μ- μ- Φ μ- to a to rt ui μ- to o to rt μ- CO μ- O H rt to μ- to rt to μ- a 3 μ- a rt μ- øi to 3 rt 3 a O rt • • < TJ TJ 3 φ 3 μ* 3 < μ* 3 * to : μ- μ- Oi μ- ua to ft Φ Ω ua Φ 01 3 t Ω to O 0 ua Φ a 0i •< Φ Φ *< Φ β a 3 μ- 3 β a β CO a • » μ- Hi β β rt M a a ft rt TJ to 3 a rt 3 TJ TJ ua rt 3 μ- 0i 3 rt rt Ό rt rt 3 ua Ω 0i 3 * rt S3 to μ- TJ β 0 Φ Φ Φ TJ o Φ rt φ rt TJ ua O rt •ϋ μ- μ- Φ Φ o TJ Φ Φ Ω μ- β 3 o TJ TJ Ul rt tr rt 01 o rt μ- 01 Φ rt CO 3 μ- o o o 0i 3 ft to 3 0i β rt T Oi rt rt TJ TJ 01 μ- 3 3 rt ft TJ 3 3 a Φ 01 CO 3 rt 3 3 3 to Hi φ 01 μ- O 3 rt xr TJ 3 Φ ft o Φ μ- Ω 01 Φ O ft μ- o ua O a μ- 01 to ua ft to μ- a μ- 3 < rt h" 0 rt rt «ι a β a a o M Ω a μ- 0i rt TJ ua a rt 01 μ- μ- 3 rt o μ- S3 rt rt Φ μ- ø 01 3 rt 3 φ o ft a μ- 3 Oi μ- to TJ T β rt Φ σ 3 3 ft β o 3" Φ μ- P rr 01 3 It μ- Φ a 3 o μ- a Φ 3 ua 01 o o n o o rt μ* 3 ua rt rt rt Φ a 3 TJ μ- ω rt a rt O 01 ua Hi 3 β 01 a μ- μ- rt t 01 β μ- * • < Φ 3 * 01 Φ 3 a TJ 3 0 Φ 01 μ- 3 3 Φ μ- Ω 3 TJ 0 3 a a r rr rt Ω rt o rt 3 Φ 3 rt o 01 Φ Φ ua TJ »ι ua "* to ua o Φ TJ β to i * μ- μ- o Φ rt to Φ Hi to rr rt l-l TJ T μ- TJ μ- CO β 3 rt φ It μ- • μ* o T o 3 rt β Ω Oi μ- o Ω 01 3 o O ua o a to TJ β rt Hi rt Φ TJ ua o 3 o 3 Hi o TJ β 3 3 β 0 to μ- 01 Ω O Φ rt rt μ- to μ- 01 0 TJ 01 o Ω n o μ- 0i S3 rt o Ω Hi t β Ή rt to It It ft 01 a β 0 ø) rt rt a μ- * • <; μ- rt * s rt rt β o rt a rt Φ Oi ft 01 r rt •• * Φ Φ rt μ- TJ rt rt 3 μ- H rr a ft μ- 3 rt β Ω ft rt rt 3 μ- 3 3 rt to rt μ- n rt h- a μ- o rt Φ to 01 o •* < μ- 01 μ- rt o ft rt β μ- *< Oi a o a rt 01 It 3 Oi μ- 3 3 to μ- rt 3 3 O it μ* o rt 3 ft μ- φ rt o Ω o 3 It μ- " ua 3 o Ω ua o 3 μ- 3 Φ a ω 3 ft o 3 o 3 rt rt 3 to 3" 0 01 •% 3- o 3 a ω a rt β 0 φ rt ua Ω a Φ β Oi S3 TJ 01 ua μ- β Φ rt 3 01 ua Oi 3 It 3 rt rt μ- 0 ua rt X TJ μ- Ω Φ 01 o 3 rt or 3 φ TJ a Φ 01 < ft o μ- Φ o ιt Φ Φ o 3 rt Φ μ- It TJ 3 3- rt 3 rt a XT 3 μ* ua X TJ rt β 3 μ- 3 * 3 a Oi Hi μ- Oi rt Ω 3 Φ rt ua Φ o it Φ a rr Φ Φ 01 ft 0 ft TJ 3 Φ Φ rt 3 3 3 β O μ- TJ μ- 3 rt Φ a μ- μ- 3" 0i a 3 φ rt o Ω TJ μ- ua 01 Φ μ- to to ua to Ω ft 01 3 3 o a a ft rt 3 Oi o 0i μ- 3 Φ Φ 3 rt β φ 3 Φ 3 rt 3 oι β ft tr to ua rt μ> μ- μ- μ- rt 3 3 3 < 3 to 0i a μ- to rt rt rt Oi X to 3 to μ- 3 CO rt μ- o rr ► 3 3 o o Φ *% μ- rt Ω 3 μ- 3 0i rt Φ t Ω Φ β a Φ β rt 3 < Φ 3 μ- ua ua rt rt β 3 Φ Ω β Ul 3 ua μ- μ- o rt μ* Φ Ω β rt TJ 01 TJ μ- ua Φ a Φ o CO CO TJ 01 ua n o rt ua a 3 β 3 o rt o rt TJ o 3 T 3 ua 01 3 β ua O it Oi Ω TJ 3 μ- 3 rt to to ua ft Φ « μ- 3 rt Ω 0 β to o ua 3 Ul φ 3 "*< TJ Φ Oi o μ- β Φ 0i o TJ μ- β ua 01 o φ a Φ o J μ- β rt rt rt Φ 01 co TJ 3 μ- a rt rt μ- n rt 3 TJ Φ μ- β 3 rt μ- rt rt rt 3 It rt Φ Oi It 3 01 μ- TJ o Φ a O rt 3 μ- μ- ua TJ 3 a rt Φ 0i μ- ua rt rt 3 Φ 3 a o Φ rt rt 01 μ- μ- μ- rt o Hi to O Φ Φ Oi Ω rr o o to μ> Oi a 01 01 to rt a rt 01 μ- μ- 3 3 3 Φ S3 Φ μ- 3 rt rt μ- rt 3 β Φ β β μ- 3 3 a Ω a 3 o ft ua μ- μ- 3 a 3 ua 3 n Φ 0i 3 Φ rt 01 3 CO rt It rt 3 Φ ua oi β Oi 0* to μ- β μ- Φ 3 μ- 3 Φ Φ 3 rt it a 0i μ- it Ω It o Φ a 01 TJ rt a TJ to rt o ua •< Φ o rt 3 rt Φ β 3 Oi μ* Φ β Φ μ- β rt μ- 3 3 ft rt Oi ft XT Φ 3 TJ n β Φ a μ- rt Oi to 3 » • < n rt a 3 rt 3 Oi to Φ φ μ- TJ φ • *< 01 rt o CO o rt Ω 01 Ω μ- 3 Φ a 3 It ua ua Φ Ω Φ 0i a 3 rr a μ- or rt oι β Ω Φ β 3 β 0i 3 CO Ω Φ o Φ μ- Φ rt β Ω 3 uQ Φ μ- Ω Φ rt μ- rt β n rt to rt rt Φ β a n β a 3 3 ft o β to rt rr ua 0 μ- μ- rt rt a a $3 rt Φ rt o rt ua μ- rt μ- ua CO Φ rt Hi it o 3 o 3 rr 3 o 01 rt μ- Φ μ- Hi rt Φ a 1 Oi 0i μ- It Φ it φ ιt ua 3 rt μ- 3 a 3 μ- μ- rt TJ 3 3 to μ- Oi o a μ- a 3 ua ua ua 3 Φ 1 CO ua 0i 3 3 3 ua Φ ua H a μ- ua to ua * • a aligning said inner cutting means with said portion of said outer cutting means support adapted to receive said inner cutting means sufficient to allow said outer cutting means and said inner cutting means to be inserted in food and removed leaving said desired con¬ figuration substantially intact in the food and readily separable from said food in said substantially intact desired configuration. 25. A food cutter according to Claim 24 wherein said outer cutting means support comprises outer food cutter holder portions and a central cutting means support portion rigidly supporting said outer cutting means. 26. A food cutter according to Claim 25 wherein said inner cutting means support comprises outer food cutter holder portions and a central cutting means support portion rigidly supporting said inner cutting means. 27. A food cutte according to Claim 24 wherein said outer cutting means comprises an outer upper cutting edge portion rigidly supported by said outer intermediate portion at a substantially uniform position above said outer cutting means support along the length of said outer upper cutting edge portion. 28. A food cutter according to Claim 27 wherein said inner cutting means comprises an inner upper cutting edge portion rigidly supported by said inner intermediate portion at a substantially uniform position above said inner cutting means support along the length of said inner upper cutting edge portion interior to and substantially equal to said substan¬ tially uniform position of said outer upper cutting edge portion above said outer cutting means support. 29. A food cutter according to Claims 27 or 28 wherein said outer cutting means and said inner cutting means comprise an outer upper cutting edge por- tion and an inner upper cutting edge portion rigidly supported at said substantially uniform positions above said outer cutting means support and comprise outer intermediate portions and inner intermediate portions of thicknesses sufficient to enable said exterior outline and said interior features of said desired configuration to be cut in food upon insertion of said food cutter and said exterior configuration to be left substantially intact in said food upon removal of said food cutter and readily separable from said food in said substantially intact desired exterior configuration. 30. A food cutter according to Claim 28 wherein said outer cutting means and said inner cutting means provide a cross section across the desired con- figuration sufficient to enable said desired configura¬ tion to be cut in food upon insertion of said food cutter and said desired configuration to be left sub¬ stantially intact in said food upon removal of said food cutter and readily separable from said food in said desired configuration. 31. A food cutter according to Claim 25 wherein said outer cutting means support comprises a substantially planar cutting means support surface and said inner cutting means support comprises a substan¬ tially planar cutting means support surface. 32. A food cutter according to Claim 31 wherein said outer cutting means and said inner cutting means comprise cutting blade means rigidly attached by said respective lower edge support portions to said respective cutting means support surface and extending generally perpendicularly outward from said respective cutting means support surface. 33. A food cutter according to Claim 32 wherein said outer cutting blade means comprises an outer upper cutting edge portion rigidly supported by said intermediate cutting blade means portion at a sub¬ stantially uniform position above said cutting means support along the length of said upper cutting edge portion. 34. A food cutter according to Claim 33 wherein said inner cutting blade means comprises an inner upper cutting edge portion rigidly supported by said inner intermediate cutting blade means portion at a substantially uniform position above said cutting means support along the length of said inner upper cutting edge portion and at a position substantially equal to the position of said outer upper cutting edge portion above said cutting means support when said inner cutting means is rigidly supported within the interior of said outer cutting means. 35. A food cutter according to Claim 34 wherein said outer upper cutting edge portion and said inner upper cutting edge portions are rigidly supported at said substantially uniform position above said cutting means support by said respective intermediate portions having blade thicknesses sufficient to enable said exterior outline and said interior features of said desired configuration to be cut in food upon insertion of said food cutter and said exterior configuration to be left substantially intact in said food upon removal of said food cutter and readily separable from said food in said substantially intact desired exterior configu¬ ration. 36. A food cutter according to Claim 35 wherein said outer upper cutting edge portion and said inner upper cutting edge portions are rigidly supported at a substantially uniform position above said cutting means support to provide for said desired configuration to be cut into said food at a depth sufficient to allow two or more of said desired exterior configurations to be readily separable from said food in said substan- tially intact desired configuration.

Inventors: WOLTERS KAREN A, WOLTERS, KAREN, A.
Applicants: WOLTERS KAREN A, WOLTERS, KAREN, A.
Application year: 1986
Main classification: B26B3
IPC codes: A21C11, A47J43, B26F1