Abstract:
A strawberry huller includes a blade that is attached to a housing, with a plunger configured to rotate the blade with respect to the housing. After the blade is inserted into the strawberry the plunger is pressed, causing the blade to rotate about the stem. The rotation of the blade produces a circular cut around the stem for ideal separation of the hull.

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of provisional application Ser. No. 61/758,597 filed Jan. 30, 2013, the contents of which are incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates to devices used for cutting stems from fruits, particularly including devices for removing the hull from a strawberry. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Strawberries are typically picked and separated from a plant in a fashion that leaves a leafy stem attached to the fruit. Removing the leafy stem from the strawberry can be a tedious task. Many people commonly use a paring knife to remove the stem, and because strawberries are relatively small, the use of a knife requires some careful work to avoid cuts. In addition, even small paring knives are often larger than the ideal size for the task, resulting in cuts that are uneven and that remove more of the strawberry than is desired. Other than knives, there are some devices specifically made for hulling strawberries, but in general such devices nip or tug at the stem. In some cases the stem may separate cleanly, but in other cases it may rip apart, leaving part of the stem still attached in a jagged fashion. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The present invention relates to a strawberry huller having a blade that is attached to a housing and a plunger configured to rotate the blade with respect to the housing. After the blade is inserted into the strawberry the plunger is pressed, causing the blade to rotate about the stem. The rotation of the blade produces a circular cut around the stem for ideal separation of the hull. 
         [0005]    In accordance with preferred versions of the invention, the blade is angled inward to produce a conical-shaped cut as the blade is rotated. The blade is also attached in a fixed fashion to a rotating plunger so that the blade produces a conical cut defined by the shape and angle of the blade. 
         [0006]    In a preferred version the blade is formed in a triangular or tear-drop shaped and rounded to further facilitate the creation of a conical cut. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    Preferred and alternative examples of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a preferred version of a strawberry huller. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a side view of a preferred version of a strawberry huller. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a front view of a preferred version of a strawberry huller. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view of a preferred version of a strawberry huller. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a top view of a preferred version of a strawberry huller. 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a sectional view of the strawberry huller of  FIG. 5 , taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 5 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is an exploded view of a preferred version of a strawberry huller. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0015]    With reference to the accompanying figures, a preferred strawberry huller includes a plunger  10  configured to be received within a housing  19  formed by two housing halves  20 ,  21 . In other versions, the housing may be formed as a single component rather two halves joined together, or may be formed from more than two sections. The plunger is positioned within the housing for axial movement back and forth along a central axis A as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , such that the plunger can be pressed into the housing (in the direction of arrow D) and return back to an original position in which the plunger is at least partially extending out of the housing. 
         [0016]    In a preferred version as best seen in the exploded view of  FIG. 4 , the plunger  10  is substantially cylindrical in shape, though it may include one or more ribs, grooves, channels, or other features  11  formed on an outer surface of the plunger and which interact with a complementary surface feature  12  formed in an opening, or neck  14 , on the housing. Additional ribs or similar features  43  (see  FIG. 7 ) may be formed on an interior wall of the housing or otherwise supported within the housing to further restrain the plunger against rotational movement. In the illustrated version, both the plunger and the housing include elongated ribs extending substantially along the entire length of the plunger and the housing. In this fashion, the surface features on the plunger interact with the shape of the opening of the housing and the rib within the housing such that the plunger is restrained against rotational movement as it moves axially into or out of the housing. 
         [0017]    The plunger  10  is formed with a hollow interior, terminating at a proximal end with a cap or knob  15  that preferably encloses the internal plunger cavity. The cap at the proximal end is operable by a thumb of a user to push the plunger into the housing, as described further below. At the distal end of the plunger, the plunger terminates in a widened flange or rim on a distal endcap  13 , in which the rim has an outside diameter somewhat larger than the outer diameter of the housing neck  14 . The rim thereby provides a shoulder or surface that abuts the top inner surface formed in a neck  14  of the hollow housing so that the plunger is retained within the housing. 
         [0018]    A spindle  25  is received within the hollow cavity of the plunger  10 . The spindle is preferably in the form of a cylinder having threads  26  formed about an outer surface of the spindle. The spindle includes a base  29  and a spindle bearing  28  between the base and a locking flange  27 . The spindle bearing is sized and configured to be received by an opening  22  formed at a distal end of the housing, with the spindle bearing and opening each being generally circular in cross section so that the spindle is rotatable within the opening. The spindle base  29  and flange  27  are each sized to be larger than the opening so that the spindle bearing is trapped within the opening  22  for rotational movement when the spindle is in position within the housing. In the preferred version, the spindle base, flange, and bearing are all integrally formed with the spindle. 
         [0019]    A nut  23  having internal threads  23   a,  or at least one internal projection for interaction with the spindle, is positioned within the distal end of the plunger, preferably fixed in a space within the endcap  13  of the plunger  10 . One or more external ribs  23   b  is preferably formed on the nut  23  to mate with a corresponding surface within the endcap  13  to retain the nut within the endcap and restrict it against rotational movement within the endcap. The internal threads or projections of the nut  23  are sized and configured to smoothly ride between threads  26  of the spindle such that axial travel of the nut with respect to the spindle will rotate the spindle while the nut remains in a fixed rotational position. 
         [0020]    A spring  24 , preferably a coil spring as illustrated, is positioned within the housing such that a first end of the spring will abut the interior of the base  29  of the spindle while the opposite second end of the spring will abut a shoulder formed at the distal end of the plunger. The shoulder may be formed, for example, within the rim or an inward-extending flange on the endcap  13 , or may be a surface of the nut  23 . 
         [0021]    When the spindle, spring, and distal end of the pusher are retained within the housing (and the two housing halves  20 ,  21  are glued or otherwise secured to one another), the spring  24  urges the pusher axially away from the base of the spindle, in the opposite direction of the arrow D in  FIG. 2 . When a user pushes on the knob  15  formed on the proximal end of the spindle, it causes the plunger  10  (and the nut  23 ) to move axially downward toward the base of the spindle. Because of the threaded interaction of the nut and the spindle, coupled with the retention of the base of the spindle within the opening  22  in the housing, and the features  12  on the neck  14  and plunger  11  that prevent rotational movement of the plunger, the downward axial movement of the plunger will cause the spindle to rotate within the housing. 
         [0022]    A top portion of the housing flares outwardly into a wide flange  42 , which in the preferred example extends about the entire perimeter of the proximal end of the housing. The flange is sized and configured to be grasped by two fingers of a user to hold the housing while a user&#39;s thumb presses downward on the knob or cap  15  plunger. 
         [0023]    A blade  30  is secured to the base  29  of the spindle  25 . In the illustrated version, the blade is integrally formed with a base  33  forming a clip, with the blade forming an angle with respect to the base. Most preferably, the blade and clip are formed from metal such as stainless steel. The blade is attached to the base  29  of the spindle via a cap  31  and a fastener  32 . In one example, the base  33  of the blade is positioned within complementary channels formed in the cap  31  and held against the cap by the fastener  32 . The fastener is then securely received within a cavity formed in the base  29  in a manner that ensures the blade  30  will rotate together with the rotation of the base  29  and the spindle  25 . 
         [0024]    In a preferred version of the invention, a cover  40  is provided. The cover is sized and configured to receive the blade within it, and includes a rim configured for a snap-fit attachment to the base so that the rim is removably attachable to the base. The cover may alternatively include a friction, threaded, or other means of attaching the cover to the housing or the base of the spindle. 
         [0025]    In one example, the blade is angularly oriented with respect to the central axis, as best seen in  FIG. 2 . Thus, a central axis A extends through the center of the plunger  10 , spindle (not visible in  FIG. 2 ), and housing  19 . The blade  30  and base  29  of the spindle (which is positioned to lie in a plane parallel to the blade clip) form an angle with respect to one another, with a base of the blade and the spindle being substantially tangential to an axis B that is parallel to central axis A and offset from axis A toward the perimeter of the housing. The base of the blade  30   a  is positioned at the peripheral end of the cap  31  so that the base of the blade rotates circumferentially about the perimeter defined by the cap  31 . Thus, in a preferred version of the invention the blade  30  has a base  30   a  which is positioned relatively toward the perimeter of the base  29  of the spindle and the perimeter of the cap  31 , with the tip of the blade  30   b  being angled inward and terminating at a position on or close to the central axis A. 
         [0026]    The angular orientation of the blade is such that the blade primarily extends along a third axis C, with the third axis C forming an angle α with respect to the offset second axis B. In a preferred example of the invention, the blade is angled with respect to the second axis B at an angle of about 30 degrees. In other preferred example the blade forms an angle of between about 20 degrees and 45 degrees with respect to the central axis (and therefore the offset axis). 
         [0027]    The blade further defines a length that extends from a base  30   a  of the blade (generally at or near a perimeter of the base) to the tip  30   b  of the blade. The tip of the blade is positioned such that, in a preferred version, the tip is tangential to the longitudinal axis A. The base of the blade is further positioned along the perimeter of the base, which forms a circle. The base of the blade preferably curves along an arc defined by the length of the blade occupied by the portion of the base adjacent the base of the blade. Thus, the blade is somewhat concave, being curved along its width in a fashion that approximates the curvature of the perimeter of the base. In one version, the tip of the blade is also curved in a direction toward the longitudinal axis A, so that the blade is generally spoon shaped. Consequently, rotation of the blade in a full circle about the base will define a cone having the central axis A at its center. 
         [0028]    In use, the blade is pressed into a strawberry at an angle so that the tip of the blade will be at the center of the strawberry stem and the base of the blade at an outer periphery of the stem. The plunger is then depressed, causing the blade to rotate one or more times and thereby carving out a conical portion about the stem of the strawberry. When the plunger is released, the blade will rotate in the opposite direction. The blade is then removed from the strawberry, and the spoon-shape of the blade aids as a scoop to pull the stem from the surrounding strawberry hull. 
         [0029]    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. For example, the configuration of the spindle and nut may be reversed such that the plunger includes internal threads along substantially its entire length and the spindle includes one or more bearings that ride within the threads formed in the plunger housing. 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.