Tool for preparing and treating food and method for personalizing said tool

Abstract: A tool (1) for preparing and treating food, such as knife, large fork, ladle, chopping board, etc., personalizable depending on the expected specific use, comprises a portion (2) intended to come into contact with the food and a handle portion (3) intended to allow the gripping of the tool by a user. The handle portion (2) comprises at least one housing intended to house a distinguishing insert (50a). The tool of the invention can thus be personalized by the user depending on the type of foodstuff for which it must be used.

Description: The present invention relates to a tool for preparing and treating food, comprising a portion intended to come into contact with food and a handle portion intended to allow the gripping of the tool by a user. In this description and following claims, the expression: "tool for preparing and treating food", is used to indicate any kitchen tool intended to come into contact with food either during the preparation of food and thereafter. In particular, reference is preferably, but not exclusively, made to tools typically used in industrial or community professional kitchens (public kitchens, staff restaurants, public restaurants, etc.); said tools are, for example, knives, large forks, chopping boards, ladles, scissors, strainers or colander, etc. For exemplifying purposes and for simplicity of discussion, in the following description reference shall often be made to knives, and more in particular, to kitchen knives, it being understood that what said can be similarly applied also to the other types of tools mentioned above. The expression: "kitchen knife", is used to indicate, in particular, a knife intended to be used in community or industrial professional kitchens for preparing and/or treating foodstuff; the expression: "table knife", is used to indicate, in particular, a knife adapted to be used by the users as cutlery when eating. As known, in most European and non-European countries a directive issued by the various hygiene boards and/or ministries of health is in force; said directive obliges the operators of the field of collective catering (public kitchens, staff restaurants, public restaurants, etc.) to sort out the various tools according to the specific type of foodstuff for which they are provided; according to said directive, thus, a predetermined tool must be used only and exclusively for a predetermined typology of foodstuff (meat, fish, vegetables, milk products, etc.). A first method for complying with the obligations of said directive is to keep the tools intended to be used for a predetermined type of foodstuff physically separate from those intended to be used for a different type of foodstuff, thereby preventing them from being mixed up with one another. It is quite evident that this is difficult to be accomplished into restaurants and kitchens of large size, where there is often a wide and differentiated use of various tools by several operators at the same time. A second method, which is certainly more functional, for complying with the obligations of the directive mentioned above is that of marking the tools so as to allow the operator to visually distinguish the various tools according to the type of foodstuff for which they must be used; in this way, it is possible to associate a predetermined typology of food with a predetermined type of mark so as to use, for said typology of food, only the tools having said predetermined mark. For example, it is possible to mark the tools according to a colour code selected by the operator, each colour being associated to a predetermined typology of food; all tools marked with the same colour can thus be used only for that predetermined typology of food, and they are easily recognisable from the other tools, which are marked with different colours. In the field of knives, and above all in that of kitchen knives, tools provided with marks of the type indicated above are known. In particular, they are knives comprising a handle provided with an inside core, integrally formed with the blade, having a first colour, and with an outside coating having a second colour different from the first one; the coating is manufactured so as to only partly cover the core, thus letting it appear from a part of the handle. In said types of knives, the distinguishing mark is thus provided into the knife handle during the manufacturing step of the same and consists of the colour of the core appearing from the handle. Said colour allows the operator to distinguish that knife from the others having a different core colour, so as to use, afterwards, for a predetermined type of food, only knives having a core of a predetermined colour. Although substantially satisfying the purpose of being easily distinguishable from one another, the knives of the type described above exhibit some drawbacks. A first drawback relates to the need, for the manufacturer, of providing a differentiated production of a plurality of series of knives, each series having a predetermined pair of core/coating colours, so as to allow the user to use the knives of a first series for cutting a predetermined typology of food and the knives of a different series for cutting a different typology of food; this clearly implies relatively high manufacturing costs and times, which unavoidably reflect on the sales price of the knives. A second drawback relates to the impossibility, for the operator or user, of varying at his choice the pair of core/coating colours; this implies the need of deciding, at the moment of the purchase order, the typologies of food for which said knives will be used and consequently, the number of series of knives and the number of knives to buy for each series. DE 949 097 discloses a tool having a handle provided with a hole for interchangeable distinguishing inserts. The insert is pressed inside the hole in such a way to avoid that it could be disengaged during operation. DE 33 15 768 A discloses a knife having a handle provided with a housing for a weight intended to counterbalance the weight of the blade and handle, thus allowing to the user an easier and more comfortable gripping of the knife. The weight can be covered by suitable plates thus giving to the knife a pleasant aspect. EP-A-0 829 842 discloses an insert system which contain a recess in which a mating component is inserted. This can incorporate an undercut and the two can be glued together, it being necessary to destroy the component in order to remove it. GB-A-2 179 240 discloses a chopping board comprising a planar body having at least one marker of a contrasting appearance. The marker may be a pre-formed insert or be cast in situ, or may be formed by extrusion. The technical problem at the basis of the present invention is that of providing a system for manufacturing and using kitchen tools which is more elastic and flexible than that described above with reference to the knives of the prior art, so as to overcome the drawbacks indicated above. Thus, the invention relates to a tool for preparing and treating food as set forth in claim 1. Unlike the tools indicated above with reference to the prior art, wherein the presence of a distinguishing mark on the handle is provided since the tool manufacturing step, the tools of the present invention are provided with a neutral handle portion, that is, without any distinguishing mark. The personalization of the tools according to the typology of food for which they are intended to be used is not carried out by the tool manufacturer anymore; rather, it is carried out directly by the user by inserting the distinguishing insert into the housing formed into the tool handle portion. This allows providing a system for manufacturing and using the tools which is more elastic and flexible than that associated to the tools described above with reference to the prior art, thus allowing to achieve a series of advantages, both for the tool manufacturer and for the user, which shall be described in detail in the following description. A first advantage is associated to the fact that, according to the invention, for a predetermined typology of tool (for example knives, large forks, chopping boards, ladles, scissors, strainers or colander) the manufacturer can manufacture a single series of neutral tools, that is, without distinguishing marks, thereby without taking care to differentiate the production in function of the different foodstuff for which the tools are provided; advantageously, the tools can be all equal to each other and thus, they can be obtained from a single die, or from similar dies. That is to say, it is possible to provide for a grand scale production of tools, thus obtaining a considerable reduction of manufacturing costs and times with respect to what was possible with the knives manufacturing systems of the prior art. A second advantage is associated to the fact that, for a predetermined typology of tool, the user can buy a single series of neutral tools and, afterwards, personalize them depending on the specific use he intends to make of them. Thus, it is not necessary anymore for the user to decide, at the moment of the purchase order, the typology of food for which said tools shall be used, and consequently, the number of tools to be used for each typology of food; in fact, the user can buy a predetermined number of tools and personalize them at his choice in any moment depending on the specific use he wants to make of them. The personalization carried out by the user is irreversible, thus preventing possible mixing up of tools intended for preparing and treating different typologies of food. Said means adapted to allow the housing of the insert into the respective housing in a substantially non-removable way shall be described in detail in the following description. Preferably, with regard to some typologies of tools (in particular knives, large forks, ladles, etc.), said portion intended to come into contact with the food is made of steel, and said handle portion is made of a thermoplastic material, such as for example polypropylene, polyethylene, ABS, thermoplastic rubber, acetal resin, nylon, also in combination with one another. Preferably, said thermoplastic materials are atoxic, and possibly antibacterial; this allows guaranteeing predetermined hygiene and quality standard into the kitchens. In any case, an alternative embodiment of said typologies of tool can be provided, wherein the portion intended to come into contact with the food and the handle portion are both made of steel, with the handle portion comprising an area made of a thermoplastic material wherein the housing for the distinguishing insert is realised. On the other hand, in the case of chopping boards, said portion intended to come into contact with the food is preferably made of a synthetic material, so as to limit its wear during the food treatment. The personalization of the tool is thus carried out, in an extremely flexible way, by the user, according to the use he intends to make of the tool, by associating a distinguishing insert (for example, an insert having a particular colour) selected from a plurality of different inserts (for example, a plurality of inserts of different colours) with the tool. The presence of the projections into the fork element and of the recesses into the groove formed into the tool handle portion allows obtaining, in a simple and functional way, a substantially irreversible coupling of the insert with the tool. Preferably, the fork element is made of an elastically deformable material, for the purpose of allowing an easy housing of the same into the U-groove formed in the tool Preferably, the distinguishing insert is coloured. Advantageously, it is thus possible to distinguish the tools according to a colour code selected by the user, by associating to each colour (and thus, to each tool carrying an insert of that colour) a predetermined typology of foodstuff. Moreover, in the specific case of table knives, the presence of a coloured insert also allows obtaining aesthetic advantages, for example by combining the colour of the insert with that of the table set. Even more preferably, the insert is marked with a symbol intended to identify a predetermined typology of foodstuff, so as to highlight in a more explicit way the association between tool and foodstuff. Further features and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description of some preferred embodiments, made with reference to the attached drawings. In such drawings: Figure 1 shows a side view of a first embodiment of a first typology of tool according to the present invention; Figure 2 shows a plan top view of the tool of figure 1; Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of a handle and of a distinguishing insert for the tool of figure 1, in a first work configuration; Figure 4 shows a side view of the handle and of the insert of figure 3; Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the handle and of the insert of figure 3, in a second work configuration; Figure 6 shows a side view of the handle and of the insert of figure 3 in the second work configuration; Figure 7 shows a front view of the first embodiment of the insert of the present invention, illustrated in figures 1 and from 3 to 6; Figure 8 shows a side view of a second typology of tool according to the present invention; Figure 9 shows a plan top view of the tool of figure 8; Figure 10 shows a side view of a third typology of tool according to the present invention; Figure 11 shows a plan top view of the tool of figure 10; In the figures from 1 to 2 and from 8 to 11, reference numeral 1 indicates a tool for preparing and treating food according to the present invention, in various specific embodiments. In particular, the figures from 1 to 2 illustrate a knife, figures 8 and 9 a large fork, figures 10 and 11 a ladle. In any case, further embodiments (not shown) of tools used for preparing and treating food fall within the scope of the present invention as defined in the claims, such as for example scissors, strainers or colander, etc. In the following description, equal or similar structural elements in the various embodiments of tool 1 indicated above shall be referred to with the same reference numeral. Regardless of the typology and/or specific embodiment of tool 1 of the present invention, the tool comprises a portion 2 intended to come into contact with the food and a handle portion 3 intended to allow the gripping of tool 1 by the user. In the following description, reference shall first be made to the tools illustrated in the figures from 1 to 2 (knives) and from 8 to 11 (respectively, large forks and ladles). In particular, for the purpose of making the following description clearer, explicit reference shall be made to knives (figures from 1 to 2) and to handles for knives (figures from 3 to 6), it being understood that what said can be similarly applied to the other types of tools indicated above. The handle portion (or handle) 3 of tool 1 of the present invention comprises a body 4 having a substantially elongated and ergonomic shape, provided at a first free end 4a with a first slot 5 which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of handle 3 and intended to serve as housing for the portion 2 intended to come into contact with food (in the specific case of knives, a blade). Handle 3 is also provided, at a second free end 4b of body 4 opposed to end 4a, with a housing 10 intended to house a distinguishing insert 50a, 50b. According to the tool 1 of the present invention, shown in figure 1, housing 10 comprises a substantially U-shaped groove 11 formed onto said second free end 4b of body 4 and partially extended onto opposed side surfaces 6a, 6b of body 4 (reference shall be made, in particular, to figures from 3 to 6). In turn, groove 11 is provided with opposed recesses 12a, 12b (only one of which is visible in figures 3 and 4) formed on the side surfaces 6a, 6b of body 4. As shown in detail in figure 7, insert 50a consists, in particular, of a fork element 51, having a shape that is substantially conjugated with that of groove 11 and preferably made of an elastically deformable material, such as for example plastic. The fork element 51 comprises a pair of opposed wings 52a, 52b provided, in the proximity of their respective free ends 53a, 53b, with opposed projections 54a, 54b which are integrally formed with wings 52a, 52b and overhanging from the latter. Projections 54a, 54b are intended to be snap-wise housed into recesses 12a, 12b formed into groove 11 of body 4, so as to realise a substantially irreversible coupling of the fork element 51 with groove 11. Figures from 8 to 11 show the use of insert 50a described above in other typologies of tools (respectively, large forks and ladles). Preferably, the distinguishing insert 50a described above, is coloured, so as to allow a user to distinguish the tools depending on a colour code selected by the same user. Moreover, insert 50a can be marked with a symbol intended to identify a predetermined typology of foodstuff for which the tool in which insert 50a is intended to be fixed must be used. In the preferred embodiments of the tool of the present invention, insert 50a, once applied to the tool, is slightly recessed into the same tool; this allows compensating possible dimensional errors in the moulding of the tool handles, preventing the insert from protruding from the handle, in which case its removal would be facilitated. In the specific case of knives, large forks, ladles and similar tools, advantageously, body 4 of handle 3 of tool 1 is preferably made of a thermoplastic material, such as for example polypropylene, polyethylene, ABS, thermoplastic rubber, acetal resin, nylon, also combined with each other. In a preferred embodiment of the tool of the present invention, said thermoplastic material is also atoxic, and possibly antibacterial, for the purpose of guaranteeing predetermined hygiene and quality standards into the kitchens. In any case, an alternative embodiment of said typologies of tool is possible, wherein the portion 2 intended to come into contact with the food and the handle portion 3 are both made of steel, with the handle portion 3 comprising an area made of a thermoplastic material wherein a housing 21 is realised for housing the distinguishing insert 50a. On the other hand, in the case of chopping boards, portion 2 intended to come into contact with the food is preferably made of a synthetic material, so as to obtain less wear during the food treatment. In the specific case of knives, handle 3 of the tool of the invention also comprises, at a first free end 6a, a depression 90 formed on an upper surface 6c of body 4; said depression 90 is intended to serve as finger-rest for the thumb of the user's hand gripping the knife, during the foodstuff cutting operations. Moreover, handle 3 comprises, at the first free end 6a, a projection 100 formed on a lower surface 6d of body 4; said projection 100 is intended to serve as protection for the fingers of the user's hand gripping the knife, during the foodstuff cutting operations. The tool of the present invention and the distinguishing insert 50a are intended to form a kit of parts for manufacturing a personalizable tool, as shown in figures from 1 to 2 and from 8 to 11. The manufacturer provides the tool 1 and a plurality of distinguishing inserts 50 having different colour. The personalization is carried out afterwards directly by the user who associates a distinguishing insert 50a, having a particular colour, with each tool, depending on the typology of foodstuff for which that tool is intended to be used.

Claims: Tool for preparing and treating food, comprising a portion (2) intended to come into contact with the food and a handle portion (3) intended to allow the gripping of said tool by a user, wherein said handle portion (3) comprises a body (4) provided, at a first free end (4a), with a slot (5) for housing said portion (2) intended to come into contact within the food and, at a second free end (4b) opposed to the first free end (4a), with at least one housing (10) having a distinguishing insert (50a) housed therein, characterised in that said at least one housing (10) comprises a substantially U-shaped groove (11) extending at least partly onto opposed side surfaces (6a, 6b) of said handle portion (3) at said second free end and said at least one distinguishing insert (50a) comprises a fork element (51) having a shape that is substantially conjugated with that of said groove (11) and housed in a substantially non-removable way into said groove (11), wherein said groove (11) comprises opposed recesses (12a, 12b) formed on said opposed side surfaces (6a, 6b) of said handle portion (3) and adapted to co-operate with respective projections (54a, 54b) integrally formed with said distinguishing insert (50a) so as to allow the snap-wise housing of said insert (50a) into said groove (11). Tool according to claim 1, wherein said portion (2) intended to come into contact with the food is made of steel and said handle portion (3) is made of a thermoplastic material. Tool according to claim 1, wherein said portion (2) intended to come into contact with the food and said handle portion (3) are both made of steel. Tool according to claim 1, wherein said portion (2) intended to come into contact with the food is made of a synthetic material. Tool according to claim 2, wherein said thermoplastic material is an atoxic material. Tool according to claim 2 or 5, wherein said thermoplastic material is an antibacterial material. Tool according to any one of the previous claims, wherein said fork element (51) is made of an elastically deformable material. Tool according to any one of the previous claims, wherein said at least one distinguishing insert (50a) is coloured. Tool according to any one of the previous claims wherein said at least one distinguishing insert (50a) is marked with a symbol intended to identify a predetermined type of foodstuff.

Inventors: SANELLI GIAN BATTISTA, SANELLI, GIAN BATTISTA
Applicants: FISKARS MONTANA S R L, FISKARS MONTANA S.R.L.
Application year: 2001
Main classification: A47J45
IPC codes: A47J45, A47J47, A47G21