Abstract:
A food grater having an improved cutting surface with teeth that are configured to prevent or reduce the sideways pull against a food item as it travels along the cutting surface. In a preferred version, the blades are formed with a V-shape that improves the ability of the user to push a food item straight down the cutting surface.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to food graters. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     There are many different food graters on the market. In most cases, such graters have a planar or curved cutting surface with a plurality of blades formed on the cutting surface. The blades extend outward from the surface in order to scrape away a portion of the food item. By including many blades in close proximity to one another, the food item can be shredded by dragging the food item over the cutting surface. 
     Unfortunately, with graters that are currently on the market the blades tend to pull the food item toward one side or the other rather than vertically straight down the cutting surface. This pull makes for a less efficient grating process as a part of the food item is pulled out of contact with the cutting surface. It also makes grating more work as the user must exert more force to work against this sideways pull. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention comprises a food grater having an improved cutting surface having teeth that are configured to prevent or reduce the sideways pull against a food item as it travels along the cutting surface. In the preferred version as shown, the blades are formed with a V-shape that improves the ability of the user to push a food item straight down the cutting surface. 
     These and other examples of the invention will be described in further detail below. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Preferred and alternative examples of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a preferred grater in accordance with the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a front plan view of an alternate version of a preferred grater. 
         FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the grater of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a front plan view of Detail A indicated in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 5  is a top plan view of Detail B indicated in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 6  is a front plan view including a detail view of a metal blank for forming a grating surface in accordance with the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     An exemplary food grater  10  is illustrated in  FIG. 1  as having a grip or handle  12 , a base  14 , and one or more sidewalls  20  extending upwardly between the base and the handle. In one version, the sidewalls are inclined inwardly from the base to the handle to form a generally pyramidal shape having an interior space defined by the sidewalls. The sidewalls may optionally taper to form a triangular or trapezoidal shape at each side, as shown in the exemplary version. In addition, a grater in accordance with the present invention may have any number of sides. A preferred version of the pyramidal type includes three or four sidewalls  20 . 
     An alternate version of a food grater  60  as illustrated in  FIG. 2  includes a single cutting surface  30  that is preferably supported by a metal wire frame (not shown) and includes a handle (not shown) to allow the user to grip the grater. This type of hand-held grater may have a planar cutting surface or, in the version as shown and as best seen in the top view of  FIG. 3 , may have a cutting surface  30  that is convex or bowed outwardly. 
     Each version of the grater includes a plurality of cutting surfaces or blades  40  that are arranged in a plurality of rows  71 ,  72 . The base  14  of the grater  10  defines a plane such that a grater of the type shown in  FIG. 1  may rest on a horizontal surface such as a countertop. In the exemplary version as shown, the rows  71 ,  72  of blades are substantially parallel to the plane defined by feet or the lowest surface of the base of the grater. In the hand-held version of the grater  60  there may not be a base. In such a version, the rows of the grater  71 ,  72  are formed such that the rows are substantially parallel to one another. 
     In accordance with a preferred method of manufacturing the cutting surface, the method begins with a metal blank  50  as shown in  FIG. 6 . The metal blank is planar in the initial step, and in the example as shown the blank  50  is substantially rectangular in shape. The blank may alternatively be formed as a triangle, trapezoid, or other shape as noted above. 
     The manufacturing process then forms a plurality of openings  80  in the blank  50  that define a plurality of rows, each of the plurality of rows having a plurality of openings. In one version of the invention, the openings are formed by a stamping process that punches chads from the metal blank, leaving the openings  80  that define the several rows, e.g.,  71 ,  72 . In an alternate version of the invention, the openings are formed by etching the metal blank by masking the blank other than in the areas forming the openings and then subjecting the blank to a solution that will etch away the metal in the region of the openings  80 . The etching process is used in the preferred version in order to form a sharper cutting edge of the blade. 
     As shown in the detail portion of  FIG. 6 , the openings that are punched, etched, or otherwise formed in the blank are configured with a V-shape along the lower edge of the openings. The blank  50  includes proximal end  59  and a distal end  58 , the proximal end being relatively adjacent the grip or the handle when the grater is formed. Accordingly, a food item being grated will be urged along a path of travel that runs from the proximal end toward the distal end of the grater. In this orientation, the lower edge of the openings  80  is the edge closer to the distal end while the upper e of the openings is the edge closer to the proximal end of the grater. 
     The preferred shape of the openings  80  is best seen in the detail view of  FIG. 6 . Thus, the lower edge of the opening is defined by a V-shape having a first upright  55  and a second upright  57  with an apex  56  defined by the intersection of the first and second uprights. The two uprights form a distinct V-shape which may have a sharp and defined angle or may alternatively have a somewhat rounded apex while still retaining a distinct V-shape. Each upright  55 ,  57  forms a linear edge as it extends angularly upward and outward from the apex  56 . 
     The openings  80  further include side edges  52 ,  54  and an upper edge  53 . As shown, the side edges  52 ,  53  extend substantially vertically and linearly along a direction substantially perpendicular to the lines defined by the rows  71 ,  72 . The top edge as shown may form a gentle arc or may be otherwise rounded to accommodate the passage of shreds of food items through the openings. 
     Once the openings are formed in the blank, the blank is stamped to form an outwardly extending blade along the lower edges of the openings. As best seen in  FIG. 3 , illustrating the front view of a preferred grater, and  FIG. 5 , illustrating the top view of a preferred grater, the preferred stamp pushes the lower edge of the blank along each opening outward to form a blade tooth. The blade tooth includes a first side  45 , a second side  46 , and a central portion  47 . The lower edge of the opening when formed as a tooth comprises a first edge  42  formed at the edge of the first side  45 , a second edge  44  formed at the edge of the second side  46 , and a central edge  43  formed at the edge of the central portion  47 . As best seen in the top view of  FIG. 5 , the preferred tooth includes defined angles formed at the intersection of the first edge  42  and the central edge  43 , as well as at the intersection of the second edge  44  and the central edge  43 . 
     As seen in  FIG. 5 , the central edges  43  of the teeth form an arc  90  that is substantially parallel to the arc  91  formed by the blank (or cutting surface after the blank is formed). Because the central portions  47  and central edges  43  are substantially linear, they extend through the arc for a substantial distance rather than being merely tangential to the arc as would be the case with a prior art grater. 
     In the case of a grater of the type shown in  FIG. 1 , the blank preferably is not formed into a convex shape in the stamping process. In such a version, the central edges  43  of the teeth form a line (rather than an arc) that is substantially parallel to a plane formed by the blank (or the plane of the cutting surface after the blank is formed). Because the central portions  47  and central edges  43  are substantially linear, they extend through the line for a substantial distance rather than being merely tangential to the line as would be the case with a prior art grater. 
     In use, the V-shape of the cutting blades or teeth cooperate to draw the food item straight downward from the proximal end of the grater toward the distal end of the grater, with less side-to-side pull than is experienced with prior art graters. The at least partially linear central edge further cooperates to urge the food item along a straight line. Consequently, a grater in accordance with the present invention allows for more efficient grating with less effort. 
     While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of the preferred embodiment. Instead, the invention should be determined entirely by reference to the claims that follow.