Abstract:
An avocado slicer having a handle, a curved blade, and a plurality of internal cutting blades. The blade separates the meat of the avocado from the peel while the internal cutting blades simultaneously slice the meat into separate slices. In a preferred form, the avocado slicer includes an adapter with an integrally formed internal handle, all constructed from plastic. The adapter includes internal ribs and channels configured to receive and firmly retain the base of the blade. A santoprene outer handle is over-molded onto the internal handle to provide a non-slip grip.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates generally to kitchen tools, and more particularly devices for slicing avocados. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   For several years, avocado slicers have been a popular kitchen tool. Examples of such avocado slicers are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,613,431 and 5,533,442, both of which are issued to Tateno. The existing avocado slicers can be improved in a number of areas, however, particularly including the manner in which the slicing blade is attached to the handle. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention comprises an avocado slicer having a handle, a curved blade, and a plurality of internal cutting blades. The blade separates the meat of the avocado from the peel while the internal cutting blades simultaneously slice the meat into separate slices. In a preferred form, the avocado slicer includes an adapter with an integrally formed internal handle, all constructed from plastic. The adapter includes internal ribs and channels configured to receive and firmly retain the base of the blade. A SANTOPRENE outer handle is over-molded onto the internal handle to provide a non-slip grip. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The preferred and alternative embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is a front plan view of a preferred avocado slicer; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a preferred avocado slicer; 
       FIG. 3  is a front plan view of a preferred avocado slicer, with the outer handle removed; 
       FIG. 4  is a back plan view of a preferred avocado slicer, with the outer handle removed; 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a preferred avocado slicer, with the outer handle removed; 
       FIG. 6  is a front plan view of a preferred avocado slicer; 
       FIG. 7  is a front plan view of a preferred stem; and 
       FIG. 8  is a side plan view of a preferred hex nut. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate a preferred avocado slicer, in front plan and perspective views. The preferred slicer includes a handle  10 , optionally including an emblem  12  formed from metal. The handle is preferably formed from santoprene to provide a soft, non-slip grip. 
   A blade  20  is curved into a generally oval shape at its working end and defining an internal region within the oval. The blade is preferably formed from metal, but may alternatively be made from plastic or other materials. The outer edges of the blade  41 ,  42  are each sharpened to facilitate cutting. 
   A stem  30  extends away from the handle and toward the blade  20 . The stem is preferably made from plastic or metal and includes one or more holes  32 . A plurality of internal cutting blades  40  are attached to the stem and to radially-spaced locations along the curved blade  20 , forming wedge-shaped sections between internal cutting blades. In the preferred form, the internal cutting blades  40  are produced by threading one or more metal wires through the holes  32  in the stem  30  and also through the plurality of holes  44  in the curved blade. In alternative forms, the internal cutting blades may be formed as planar metal or plastic blades that are integrally formed, bonded, welded, or otherwise attached to the blade  20 . In some of these alternate forms, the stem  30  may be unnecessary. 
   The internal cutting blades are only depicted in  FIG. 1 , and excluded from the other figures so that the other features are more readily visible. Likewise, the curved blade  20  is only partially visible in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , with a base of the blade being received within an adapter  50 . The adapter  50  is made from rigid plastic and securely holds the base of the blade, as discussed further below. 
     FIGS. 3–5  depict the avocado slicer without the external handle  10 . An inner handle  60  extends away from the blade  20  and is integrally formed with the bottom section  52  of the adapter  50 . In alternate forms, the handle may be secured to the adapter via adhesives, threaded fasteners, or other means. The inner handle  60  includes a number of channels  62 – 64  to aid in securing the outer handle  10  to the inner handle  60 . In the preferred form, the outer handle  10  is press-fit onto the inner handle  60 . Thus, the inner handle  60  provides rigidity to the handle, while the outer handle  10  provides an improved grip. 
     FIG. 6  illustrates the internal construction of the adapter  50 , particularly the bottom section  52 . As seen in  FIG. 6 , the bottom section  52  of the adapter is integrally formed with the inner handle  60 . 
   The stem  30  extends through a hole in a rigid plate  80 , with the plate preferably made from metal. The plate includes a first or lower side, a second or upper side, a first end, and a second end. The stem  30  includes at its base  36  a plurality of steps, forming a one-way ratchet for tightening the internal cutting blades, as described further below and best seen in  FIG. 7 . To form the blade and internal cutting blade portion of the slicer, the plate  80  is spot-welded to the blade  20 . The stem  30  is then inserted through the hole or bore in the plate  80 , with the shape of the hole preferably closely matching the cross-sectional shape of the stem  30 . The metal wire is then fed through the holes  32  in the stem and the holes  44  around the blade, and tied off at the lower of the two holes  32  on the stem  30 . A covering or sleeve (not shown) can optionally be placed around the stem to enclose any loose wire end and provide a more aesthetic appearance. The hex nut  70  is turned to urge the lower end of the stem away from the plate to tighten the wire internal cutting blades  40 , and the blade assembly is ready for attachment to the adapter. 
   The adapter includes a number of ribs defining channels to securely retain the blade assembly. On a first side of the adapter is a first rib assembly comprising a first rib or horizontal seat  91  transitioning to a second rib or vertical shoulder  92  on one side and a vertical wall  93  on the other. A first side of the plate  80  rests against the seat  91  and is restricted against lateral movement by the shoulder  92 . A similar rib assembly comprising a seat, shoulder, and vertical wall is provided on a second side of the adapter. The area between opposing vertical walls  93  defines a cavity  72  for receiving the hex nut  70  and lower end  36  of the stem  30 . 
   A third rib is defined by a horizontal section  94  transitioning to a curved section  95 . A channel is defined between the horizontal section  94  of the third rib and the first rib or seat  91  to snugly retain the metal plate  80 . An additional channel is defined between the curved rib  95  and an opposing rib  96  in order to retain a lower portion of the blade  20 . The adapter  50  thereby encapsulates the metal plate  80 , lower portion of the stem  30 , and a lower portion of the blade  20 . Preferably, the adapter includes an upper edge  97  that is curved to approximately produce an oval shape defined by the inner portion of the blade  20  and the curved edge  97 . 
   Once the blade assembly is inserted into the lower portion of the adapter  50 , the upper portion  54  is attached to cover the internal assemblies (see  FIG. 2 ). In the preferred embodiment, the upper and lower portions  52 ,  54  are permanently secured to one another using an adhesive or other methods. It may, however, be removably attached. 
   The preferred hex nut and lower stem construction is illustrated in  FIGS. 7 and 8 . The assembly principally serves to permanently tighten the internal cutting blades  40  before sealing the assembly within the adapter. The lower end  36  of the stem includes a first face having a plurality of steps  34  forming a stepped ramp around the perimeter of the lower end of the stem  36 . In a preferred form, twenty steps  34  are provided around the perimeter, with each step having a rise of about 0.3 mm. 
   The hex nut includes a hexagonal outer perimeter and an internal circular bore. The diameter of the internal bore is made large enough to receive the stem  30  and allow the hex nut  70  to rotate while the stem is within the bore. A first face of the hex nut includes a plurality of steps  76  forming a stepped ramp around the perimeter of the nut. In a preferred form, the steps match those of the lower end of the stem  30 , so that twenty steps  76  are provided around the perimeter, with each step having a rise of about 0.3 mm. 
   When assembling the avocado slicer, the stem  30  is inserted through the bore in the hex nut  70 , so that the stepped ramps of the hex nut and lower end of the stem  36  face one another. In the preferred form, the upper end of the stem  30  (that is, the portion projecting though the metal plate  80 ) is rectangular or square in cross-section, the corresponding rectangular or square-shaped hole within the metal plate  80  will prevent the stem from rotating. By rotating the hex nut  70 , the lower end of the stem  36  will be pushed in a direction away from the blade, pulling the wires tighter. The step arrangement serves as a one-way ratchet, so that the wire can be initially tightened but cannot be loosened again. 
   In an alternate embodiment, the hex nut and ratchet assembly may be replaced by an alternate construction that serves as a one-way ratchet to permanently tighten the stem and internal cutting blades. A one-way system is preferred, so that the internal cutting blades can be tightened at the time of production and will not loosen as the tool is used. In alternate embodiments, yet other constructions are possible, including a threaded hex nut and mating threads on the lower end of the stem  32 , such that turning the hex nut forces the lower end of the stem away from the blade, thereby tightening the internal cutting blades. 
   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.