Abstract:
A corn scraper for removing whole kernels from the core of a corn includes a handle portion and a utility portion connected to the handle portion. The utility portion includes a bridge member and a base plate. The bridge member is connected to the base plate against which an ear of corn is put in use. The bridge member is provided with at least one tooth means for engagement and cutting into the root of the kernels of the corn.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a corn scraper for removing kernels from the core of a corn. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     There are commercial corn scrapers for removing kernels from the core of a corn. Typically, these corn scrapers are relatively large and heavy duty and they are able to remove most if not all kernels from the core in one punching step. These scrapers normally have a cylinder-like cutter with a sharp circular cutting blade or edge at the lower end. In preparing fresh kernels for cooking in a household environment, however, kernels are often removed from the core by simply using a typical kitchen knife which is often not satisfactory. For example, the knife may be too sharp and it may undesirably remove part of the core from the corn. Or it may undesirably cut the kernels into pieces because of the curvature of the corn. In any event, the use of a kitchen knife for removing kernels is unsatisfactory. 
     The present invention seeks to provide a corn scraper which overcomes these drawbacks or at least provides an alternative to the public. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a corn scraper for removing whole kernels from the core of a corn comprising a handle portion at one end and a utility portion connected to said handle portion at the other end, wherein said utility portion includes a bridge member connected to a base plate adjacent or against which an ear of corn is put in use, and wherein said bridge member is provided with at least one tooth means for engagement and cutting into the root of the kernels of the corn. 
     Preferably, the bridge member may comprise opposite end portions connected by an intermediate portion, and wherein the tooth means may extend from the intermediate portion. 
     Suitably, the bridge member and the base plate together may define a channel through which removed kernels are passed. 
     According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a corn scraper for removing whole kernels from the core of a corn comprising a handle portion at one end and a utility portion connected to the handle portion at the other end, wherein the utility portion includes a bridge member provided with opposite end portions connected to a base plate thereof, and wherein the bridge member and the base plate together define a channel through which removed kernels are passed. The scraper may be relatively light and compact suitable to be held and used with a single hand in a domestic kitchen. The base may serve as a platform on which the corn may lean in use. 
     Preferably, the bridge member may further comprise an intermediate portion connecting the end portions, and wherein the bridge member may be provided with at least one tooth means at the intermediate portion for engagement and cutting into the root of the kernels of the corn. 
     Suitably, the opposite end portions may extend from the base plate substantially perpendicularly. 
     Advantageously, the bridge member may be fixedly attached to the base plate. The bridge member may be welded to the base to prevent accidental detachment thereof. 
     Preferably, the base plate may be slightly curved in shape generally conforming to the curvature of an ear of a corn whereby the corn is put adjacent or against the base plate in use. In particular, the region of the base plate below or closest to the intermediate portion of the bridge member may be recessed for facilitating disengagement of the kernels from the core in use. 
     Suitably, the tooth means may point to the handle portion to travel in a direction along the longitudinal axis of the handle in use. 
     The distance or the vertical distance between the intermediate portion of the bridge member and the base plate may be slightly greater than the height of a typical kernel. In particular, the channel may be sized and shaped to accommodate the passage of at least two kernels arranged side by side at a time. 
     Advantageously, the tooth means may comprise two teeth adapted to cut into and remove two rows of whole kernels from the core in one scraping motion. The removal of two kernels (or two rows of kernels) at a time enhances the removal efficiency as compared to removing only one kernel (or one row of kernels) at a time. The use of two teeth may be advantageous over the use of a laterally extending or relatively long blade or cutting edge which would reach the root of the kernels closely packed on the corn with difficulty. 
     The channel through which the kernels pass may have a height from substantially 9 to 11 mm and/or a width from substantially 10 to 15.5 mm. This height is roughly slightly greater than the typical height of a kernel. This width is roughly about twice the typical width of a kernel. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       An embodiment of the present invention is now described, by way of example only, with reference to the following drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of a corn scraper in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a bottom perspective view of the corn scraper shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a bottom view of the corn scraper shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a front view of the corn scraper shown in  FIG. 1 , 
         FIG. 5  is a rear view of the corn scraper shown in  FIG. 1 , 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic view taken from the bottom of the corn scraper of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a cross section view taken at C-C in  FIG. 6 ; and 
         FIG. 8  is a cross section view taken at B-B in  FIG. 6 , 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Turning to the drawings, as can be seen in  FIGS. 1 to 5 , there is provided a handheld corn scraper generally indicated  2  having an elongate handle  4  and a utility portion  6 . The handle  4  is provided with a hook  8  at the rear end  11  and the utility portion  6  has wider front end  10  and a narrower rear end  11  fixedly connected to the handle  4 . 
     The utility portion  6  comprises a base plate or a base  12  having an upper surface  14  and a lower surface  16 . The base  12  is slightly curved as clearly shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  4 ,  7  and  8 . The curvature of the base  12  generally conforms to the curvature of a typical ear of corn in the market. While the specific radius of curvature of the base  12  varies at different locations of the base  12 , it typically ranges from about 25 mm to 28.5 mm which is the typical radius of corns in the market. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 to 5  and  7 , the utility portion  6  is provided with a bridge member  18  welded at the lower front end of the scraper  2  at the base  12 . The bridge member is relatively thin and comprises opposite end regions  19   a ,  19   b  connected together by an intermediate region  19   c . The opposite end regions  19   a ,  19   b  extend perpendicularly from and are welded to the base  12 . In particular, the bridge member  18  is provided with two teeth  20 ,  22 , each having a sharp edge or a pointed region at the intemediate region. Each of the teeth is relatively thin and has a width which is about the same or comparable to the width of a typical kernel for facilitating the cutting into the root of a kernel. The sharp edge of the teeth  20 ,  22  points to the handle  4 . It is shown in  FIGS. 4 ,  5  and  7  that a channel  24  is defined between the bridge member  18  and the base  12  (see  FIGS. 4 &amp; 5 ). The channel  24  has a narrower upper region  26  and a wider lower region  28  (see  FIG. 7 ). The width of the channel  24  roughly corresponds to the width of two typical kernels arranged side by side. In particular, the lower region  28  has a width of about 15.5 mm. The base  12  has a recessed region  30  in its middle portion and the recessed region  30  extends from a front end  10  towards a rear end  11  of the base  12  (see  FIGS. 7 &amp; 8 ). This region  30  is recessed when viewed from the bottom side of the scraper  2  (see  FIGS. 2 &amp; 3 ,  7  &amp;  8 ). The bridge member  18  overlies part of the recessed region  30 . The vertical distance between the upper region  26  of the channel  24  (or the bridge member  18 ) and the recessed region  30  of the base  12  is roughly slightly greater than the height of a typical kernel, and in this particular embodiment it is about 11 mm. 
     The scraper  2  is generally made of stainless steel although any durable material may be used. 
     From the figures, it is shown that while the scraper  2  is elongate in shape the longitudinal axis of the handle  4  is offset from the longitudinal axis of the utility portion  6  such that in use fingers holding onto the gripping portion of the handle  4  do not interfere with the scraping of the corn. In use, a user holds the scraper  2  at the handle  4  in one hand and places it on an ear of a corn held by the other hand such that the region of the lower surface  16  of the base  12  between the bridge member  18  and the handle  4  contacts and presses against the top end of the corn. In particular, the teeth  20 ,  22  are aligned in a way such that the sharp edge of the teeth  20 ,  22  touches the root of two adjacent kernels at the top of the corn. As the base  12  is being held against the corn and the scraper  2  is being moved downwardly in relation to the corn, the teeth  20 ,  22  cut into the root of the two top kernels and the whole kernels are removed from the core of the corn. As the scraper  2  is further downwardly moved and slides towards the other end and along the length of the corn, it is envisaged that two rows of whole kernels are cut and removed from the core through the channel  24  in one scraping motion. The recessed region  30  facilitates the removal and disengagement of the whole kernels from the core and the passing of the kernels through the channel  24  in use. While this embodiment is designed such that two row of whole kernels can be removed from the core at a time, it is envisaged that with the use of a different size and/or shape of a bridge member, one row or more than two rows of kernels may be removed. It is to be noted that unlike some corn scrapers in the market, a corn scraper according to the present invention does not require resting on a table or countertop surface to perform its function.