Patent Publication Number: US-11638501-B2

Title: Portable cutting apparatus elevation system

Description:
PRIORITY 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of, and claims priority to, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/224,335, filed on Apr. 7, 2021, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     When engaged in outdoor activities, such as camping, boating, tailgating, barbequing, fishing, or hunting, users often need to find a sturdy surface to prepare food and drinks, filet fish, process game meat, and so forth. As these types of activities occur outdoors, however, it can be difficult to find such a surface that is portable and compact so that it can be easily taken into the outdoors, and yet is also durable enough to support such activities. For example, a conventional plastic table or card table would likely bend, break, or crack if used to butcher an elk, whereas a wooden or metal table is too heavy and bulky to be easily transported for outdoor activities. Further, outdoor terrain rarely offers a level plane for positioning such a surface, resulting in unsteady or unlevel surfaces that are unfit for their intended use. 
     SUMMARY 
     A portable cutting apparatus is described. The portable cutting apparatus includes a cutting board having a cutting surface and a bottom surface. The bottom surface of the cutting board includes side walls disposed along opposite edges of the bottom surface. The portable cutting apparatus further includes a first reinforcement plate attached to the side walls at a first end of the bottom surface and a second reinforcement plate attached to the side walls at a second end of the bottom surface. The first and second reinforcement plates are configured to provide reinforcement for an elevation system when the portable cutting apparatus is in an elevated state. The side walls and the first and second reinforcement plates form a storage cavity for storing the elevation system when the portable cutting apparatus is in a storage state. 
     The bottom surface includes one or more sockets that are configured to receive components (e.g., legs) of the elevation system. In some implementations, each socket is threaded to include an alignment component and teeth. The alignment component is configured to bias rotation of the elevation system component during insertion into the socket to a position that enables full insertion of the elevation system component. The teeth are configured to mesh with corresponding teeth of the elevation system component to mechanically secure the elevation system component within the socket during deployment of the elevation system. As a corollary, a protrusion of the elevation system component is threaded to include the corresponding teeth along with an alignment component that glides along the alignment component of the socket and prevents premature meshing of the teeth before full insertion into the socket. 
     In implementations where the elevation system component is a leg of the elevation system, the leg is threaded at an end opposite the protrusion to receive a table foot for the portable cutting apparatus. The leg is threaded in a manner that enables extension of the table foot away from the portable cutting apparatus, thereby enabling individual height adjustment for different legs of the elevation system. In some implementations, the table foot is configured to include a hollow cavity that permits articulation of a base of the table foot, thus enabling the table foot to adapt to a variety of angles of a surface upon which the portable cutting apparatus is deployed. 
     This Summary introduces a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. As such, this Summary is not intended to identify essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The detailed description is described with reference to the accompanying figures. 
         FIG.  1    is an illustration of a portable cutting apparatus having a cutting board and reinforcement plates that form a cavity for storing an elevation system. 
         FIG.  2    depicts the portable cutting apparatus in various stages of deployment of the elevation system. 
         FIG.  3    depicts a cutaway view of the portable cutting apparatus showing a threshold mechanism to secure the elevation system in the cavity. 
         FIG.  4    depicts a cutting surface of the portable cutting apparatus along with a view of a portion of a bottom surface of the portable cutting apparatus. 
         FIG.  5    depicts a procedure in an example implementation in which a storage cavity of a portable cutting apparatus is formed by attaching reinforcement plates to a bottom surface of a cutting board. 
         FIG.  6    depicts an element of the elevation system configured for insertion into, and removal from, a socket of the portable cutting apparatus. 
         FIG.  7    depicts a cutaway view of a socket of the portable cutting apparatus configured to receive and mechanically secure an element of the elevation system. 
         FIG.  8    depicts an element of the elevation system during aligned insertion into a socket of the portable cutting apparatus. 
         FIG.  9    depicts an element of the elevation system fully inserted into a socket of the portable cutting apparatus prior to meshing with the socket. 
         FIG.  10    depicts an element of the elevation system meshed with a socket of the portable cutting apparatus. 
         FIG.  11 A  depicts an element of the elevation system during unaligned insertion into a socket of the portable cutting apparatus. 
         FIG.  11 B  depicts an alignment component of an element of the elevation system biasing the element towards alignment with a socket of the portable cutting apparatus during unaligned insertion into the socket of the portable cutting apparatus. 
         FIG.  11 C  depicts an element of the elevation system aligned for insertion into a socket of the portable cutting apparatus. 
         FIG.  12    depicts a cutaway view of a foot for an elevation system of the portable cutting apparatus positioned in a retracted and level orientation. 
         FIG.  13    depicts a cutaway view of a foot for an elevation system of the portable cutting apparatus positioned in an extended and angled orientation. 
         FIG.  14    depicts a procedure in an example implementation in which an elevation system for a portable cutting apparatus is deployed by forming a socket in the portable cutting apparatus, forming a leg of the elevation system, and meshing the leg of the elevation system with the socket. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Overview 
     To overcome these problems, a portable cutting apparatus is described. In accordance with the described techniques, the portable cutting apparatus includes a cutting board having a cutting surface and a bottom surface. The cutting board is formed so that the bottom surface includes side walls which are disposed along opposite edges of the bottom surface of the cutting board. In one or more implementations, the cutting board may be formed using a roto-molding technique, such that the cutting board comprises roto-molded polyethylene. By using roto-molding—rather than forming the cutting board using other techniques like blow molding—the cutting board may be more durable than cutting surfaces that are formed using those other techniques. Moreover, the roto-molded polyethylene cutting board may be injected with foam, which further increases the durability of the cutting board as compared to cutting surfaces formed using those other techniques. 
     The portable cutting apparatus also includes an elevation system to elevate the cutting board. By elevating the cutting surface of the cutting board, the elevation system may enable users to deploy the portable cutting apparatus in a manner that is more ergonomically friendly, sanitary, and convenient, than simply placing a cutting board on various surfaces, such as on the ground, a cooler, a user&#39;s lap while seated, or a truck tailgate, to name just a few. Another advantage of the portable cutting apparatus is that it provides a standalone, dedicated cutting surface. This allows a user to position the portable cutting apparatus away from tables or other surfaces where users may cut or prepare food, and in so doing, prevent whatever the user is handling on the cutting surface from contaminating food being prepared on those other surfaces (and vice-versa). 
     The portable cutting apparatus also includes first and second reinforcement plates which provide reinforcement for the elevation system when the portable cutting apparatus is in an elevated state. The reinforcement plates may be attached to the side walls at opposite ends of the bottom surface of the cutting board. In one or more implementations, the elevation system may include a plurality of legs which may be inserted into sockets (e.g., screwed into the sockets) positioned on the bottom surface of the portable cutting apparatus. The reinforcement plates may include apertures (e.g., holes), through which the ends of the ends of the legs pass, when the legs are received in the sockets. An advantage of a configuration where the legs of the elevation system screw into the sockets is that the legs may be easily deployed and removed by simply screwing them in and unscrewing them, respectively. 
     To facilitate secure mechanical coupling of an elevation system leg within a socket, the socket is threaded to include an alignment component and teeth and a protrusion of the leg is similarly threaded to include a corresponding alignment component and teeth configured to mesh with the socket teeth. The alignment components ensure that the leg is properly aligned with, and fully inserted into, the socket before meshing the respective leg and socket teeth. To do so, the alignment components each include a ramp surface, oriented to glide along one another and rotationally bias the leg towards alignment with the socket during insertion of the leg into the socket. 
     One or more of the alignment components additionally include a front mesh guard, which is configured to prevent the socket and leg teeth from meshing with one another prematurely (e.g., during insertion of the leg into the socket and prior to complete insertion of the leg into the socket). In some implementations, the socket threading is further configured to include a rear mesh guard, which restricts a point at which a leg can be screwed into a socket and prevents re-meshing of the socket and leg teeth when unscrewing the leg from the socket. In this manner, the rear mesh guard further provides tactile feedback that informs a user of the portable cutting apparatus when a leg is mechanically secured (e.g., fully meshed) with a socket as well as when the leg is aligned for removal (e.g., unscrewed) from the socket. In some configurations, instead of including apertures that pass through to sockets formed in the bottom surface of the cutting board, the sockets are formed as part of the reinforcement plates themselves. 
     In addition to providing reinforcement for the elevation system, the first and second reinforcement plates act in concert with the side walls to form a storage cavity for storing the elevation system (e.g., the legs) when the portable cutting apparatus is in a storage state. In other words, the elevation system may be stored in the storage cavity of the portable cutting apparatus when the elevation system is not deployed to elevate the portable cutting apparatus. Storing the elevation system within the storage cavity enables the portable cutting apparatus to be more “compact” than when the elevation system is deployed. This enables the portable cutting apparatus to be stored (e.g., in a trunk, in a truck bed, in a closet, or on a shelf) more easily than cutting apparatuses having an elevation system that remains deployed. 
     By storing the elevation system, the storage cavity also enables the elevation system to be stored together with the portable cutting apparatus—rather than separately from the portable cutting apparatus. This allows a user to carry or handle the portable cutting apparatus and its elevation system together. The ability to store the elevation system in the storage cavity may thus alleviate difficulties of having separate pieces, e.g., the storage may reduce how often a user needs to pick up and load his or her arms with the portable cutting apparatus and elevation system, separately, and may also reduce or eliminate the need to determine how to stuff the portable cutting apparatus and the elevation system into a separate storage container such as a bag or box. 
     The elevation system is further configured to include adjustable feet that enable level and secure positioning of the portable cutting apparatus when deployed across a variety of surfaces and terrains. To do so, an end of a leg of the elevation system configured to contact a surface (e.g., ground) upon which the portable cutting apparatus is deployed is threaded to receive a foot. The threading is configured to enable removal and replacement of the foot, as well as adjustment of a distance from the end of the leg at which the foot is disposed. For instance, the foot can be twisted in a first direction to extend the foot away from the end of the leg and twisted in a second direction to retract the foot towards the end of the leg. In this manner, a length of each leg of the elevation system can be individually adjusted to provide a level cutting surface even when the portable cutting apparatus is deployed on uneven terrain. In some implementations, a table foot is configured with a hollow cavity that enables a based of the table foot to articulate within a socket formed by the end of the elevation system leg, thereby enabling the foot to provide a secure contact area and prevent the portable cutting apparatus from sliding on a variety of surfaces and at a variety of angles. 
     In the following discussion, an example a portable cutting apparatus is described by way of example as comprising reinforcement plates attached to a roto-molded cutting board to form a cavity for storing an elevation system. However, it should be readily apparent that the following discussion is not limited to a cutting board. Reinforcement plates may be attached to other roto-molded objects to form cavities for storing elevation systems that can be deployed to elevate those objects without departing from the spirit or scope of the described techniques. 
     Portable Cutting Apparatus 
       FIG.  1    is an illustration of an example  100  implementation of a portable cutting apparatus having a cutting board and reinforcement plates that form a cavity for storing an elevation system. The illustrated example  100  includes cutting board  102  and reinforcement plates  104 . In this example  100 , the cutting board  102  and the reinforcement plates  104  are depicted assembled as a portable cutting apparatus in views  106 - 108 , which include bottom view  106 , side view  108 , and graphical projection view  110 . 
     In accordance with the described techniques, the cutting board  102  includes cutting surface  112  and bottom surface  114 . The cutting board  102  is formed so that the bottom surface  114  includes side walls  116 . The side walls  116  are disposed along opposite edges of the bottom surface  114  of the cutting board  102 , such that a channel  118  is formed between the side walls  116 , separating the side walls  116 . 
     In one or more implementations, the cutting board  102  may be formed using a roto-molding technique, such that the cutting board  102  comprises roto-molded polyethylene. Using a roto-molding technique, the cutting board  102  may be formed by heating plastic (e.g., polyethylene) in a mold for the cutting board  102  and by rotating the mold (e.g., bidirectionally) over a period of time. While the plastic is heated, such rotation causes the heated plastic to coat (e.g., substantially evenly) an inner surface of the mold, forming the cutting board  102  as a plastic shell. The plastic and mold are then cooled, such that the plastic shell can be removed from the mold. In one or more implementations, the shell is also filled with foam. By way of example, once the roto-molded cutting board  102  is removed from its mold, the cutting board  102  may be pressure injected with the foam, e.g., a high-density polyurethane foam. 
     By using roto-molding—rather than forming the cutting board  102  using other techniques like blow molding—the cutting board  102  may be more durable than cutting surfaces that are formed using those other techniques. Filling a roto-molded shell, e.g., by pressure injecting foam, can also further increase the durability of the cutting board  102  relative to cutting surfaces formed using those other techniques. Additionally, by filling the cutting board  102  with a material, such as foam, the cutting board  102  has a substantially “solid” construction and not a “hollow” construction. This contrasts with various conventionally configured cutting surfaces having elevation systems. Although forming the cutting board  102  using roto-molding and injected foam is discussed, it is to be appreciated that the cutting board  102  may be formed in other ways without departing from the spirit or scope of the described techniques. 
     As illustrated in the bottom view  106  and the graphical projection view  110 , the reinforcement plates  104  may each be attached to both of the side walls  116  in accordance with the described techniques. In particular, a first of the reinforcement plates  104  may be attached to the side walls  116  at a first end  120  of the bottom surface  114  of the cutting board  102 , such that this first reinforcement plate spans from a first of the side walls  116  at the first end  120 , across the channel  118  at the first end  120 , and to a second of the side walls  116  at the first end  120 . Further, a second of the reinforcement plates  104  may be attached to the side walls  116  at a second end  122  of the bottom surface  114  of the cutting board  102 , such that this second reinforcement plate also spans from the first of the side walls  116  at the second end  122 , across the channel  118  at the second end  122 , and to the second of the side walls  116  at the second end  122 . As depicted, the first end  120  and the second end  122  may be positioned at opposite ends of the bottom surface  114  of the cutting board  102 . In one or more implementations, the side walls  116  may be substantially parallel to an axis, e.g., a longitudinal axis of the cutting board  102  or an axis that runs substantially along an edge of a rectangularly-shaped cutting board. The reinforcement plates  104  may be attached to the side walls  116  so that the reinforcement plates  104  are positioned substantially orthogonal (perpendicular) to such an axis and thus also the side walls  116 . In one or more implementations, the reinforcement plates  104  are formed from a different material than the cutting board  102 . For example, the reinforcement plates  104  may be metal whereas the cutting board  102  comprises a roto-molded object. 
     Regardless, attaching the reinforcement plates  104  to the cutting board  102  forms a storage cavity  124  of the portable cutting apparatus. Here, the storage cavity  124  is disposed between the side walls  116  (e.g., along an axis substantially parallel to a sagittal axis of the portable cutting apparatus) and between the channel  118  and the reinforcement plates  104  (e.g., along axes substantially parallel to a vertical axis of the portable cutting apparatus). The storage cavity  124  formed by attaching the reinforcement plates  104  is configured to store an elevation system (not shown) for elevating the portable cutting apparatus. For example, the elevation system may be stored in the storage cavity  124  of the portable cutting apparatus when the elevation system is not deployed to elevating the portable cutting apparatus. An example of an elevation system is discussed in more detail in relation to  FIG.  2   . 
     By storing the elevation system, the storage cavity  124  enables the portable cutting apparatus to be more “compact” than when the elevation system is deployed. This enables the portable cutting apparatus to be stored (e.g., in a trunk, in a truck bed, in a closet, or on a shelf) more easily than cutting apparatuses having an elevation system that remains deployed. By storing the elevation system, the storage cavity  124  also enables the elevation system to be stored together with the portable cutting apparatus—rather than separately from the portable cutting apparatus. This allows a user to carry or handle the portable cutting apparatus and its elevation system together. The ability to store the legs in the storage cavity  124  may thus alleviate difficulties of having separate pieces, e.g., the storage may reduce how often a user needs to pick up and load his or her arms with the portable cutting apparatus and elevation system, separately, and may also reduce or eliminate the need to determine how to stuff the portable cutting apparatus and the elevation system into a separate storage container such as a bag or box. 
     In the illustrated example  100 , the reinforcement plates  104  are also depicted having table feet  126 . The table feet  126  may be configured to elevate the cutting board  102  and the reinforcement plates  104  a first height above a surface on which the portable cutting apparatus is disposed. In accordance with the described techniques, this first height is less than a second height that the elevation system is configured to raise the cutting board  102  and the reinforcement plates  104  above the surface. 
     Additionally or alternatively, the table feet  126  may be configured to prevent the portable cutting apparatus from sliding across a surface, or otherwise reduce sliding, e.g., when the portable cutting apparatus is placed on the surface such that the table feet  126  physically contact the surface. The table feet  126  may be configured to prevent the portable cutting apparatus from sliding across a surface when the portable cutting apparatus is being used, e.g., when a user is cutting on the cutting surface  112  of the cutting board  102 . For instance, the table feet  126  may prevent the portable cutting apparatus from sliding on a tailgate of a truck, a surface of a boat, or a kitchen counter, to name just a few. In this mode, a user may use the portable cutting apparatus with the elevation system stored, which contrasts with a mode where portable cutting apparatus is used with the elevation system deployed. In one or more implementations, for example, the table feet  126  may be formed of a material such as rubber, which may prevent the portable cutting apparatus from sliding on a variety of surfaces and at a variety of angles. It is to be appreciated that the table feet  126  may be formed from other materials without departing from the spirit or scope of the techniques described herein, and also that in one or more implementations, the portable cutting apparatus may not include the table feet  126 . 
     Having discussed how the cutting board  102  and the reinforcement plates  104  form a cavity for storing an elevation system, consider the following example in which an elevation system and its deployment are discussed. 
       FIG.  2    depicts examples  200  of the portable cutting apparatus in various stages of deployment of the elevation system. In particular, the illustrated example  200  depicts deployment of elevation system  202  via various views, including a bottom projection view  204 , a bottom view  206 , and a top projection view  208 . 
     In accordance with the described techniques, the elevation system  202  may comprise a plurality of legs. The bottom projection view  204  and the bottom view  206 , depict insertion of the legs of the elevation system  202  into sockets  210  of the portable cutting apparatus. In one or more implementations, the sockets  210  may include leg cups disposed in the cutting board  102 . The leg cups may be threaded to enable ends of the legs, having threading that corresponds to threading of the leg cups, to be received by (e.g., screwed into) the sockets  210 . The reinforcement plates  104  may include apertures (e.g., holes), through which the ends of the ends of the legs pass, when the legs are received in the leg cups. In one or more implementations, the apertures may also include threading for receiving the ends of the legs. Although the leg cups are described as being separate from the reinforcement plates  104 , in one or more implementations, such leg cups may be integral with the reinforcement plates  104  such that the leg cups are “dropped” into cup holes of the molded cutting board  102  when the reinforcement plates  104  are attached to the cutting board  102 . 
     An advantage of a configuration where the legs of the elevation system  202  screw into the sockets  210  is that the legs may be easily deployed and removed by simply screwing them in and unscrewing them, respectively. An example configuration where the legs of the elevation system  202  screw into the sockets  210  is described and illustrated in further detail below with respect to  FIGS.  6 - 11 C . Nevertheless, legs of the elevation system  202  may be deployed and removed in different ways without departing from the spirit or scope of the described techniques. Additionally or alternatively, the elevation system  202  may be configured in a different way from using legs without departing from the spirit or scope of the described techniques. By way of example, in one or more implementations the elevation system  202  may be configured with two or more elevation walls (e.g., which each attach to an opposite end of the cutting board  102 ). Regardless of its particular configuration, though, the elevation system  202  is nevertheless configured for storage within the storage cavity  124  formed by attaching the reinforcement plates  104  to the cutting board  102 . 
     In the bottom projection view  204 , the elevation system  202  is depicted partially deployed and partially stored. In particular, the bottom projection view  204  depicts one leg of the elevation system  202  disposed in a socket  210 , e.g., “deployed”. The bottom projection view  204  also depicts one leg of the elevation system  202  disposed in the storage cavity  124 , e.g., “stored” in the storage cavity  124 . It is to be appreciated that in the bottom projection view  204  two of the legs are not depicted. Although the illustrated example  200  depicts an implementation where the elevation system  202  includes four legs and four sockets  210 , it is to be appreciated that leg-based configurations of the elevation system  202  may have different numbers of legs without departing from the spirit or scope of the described techniques. 
     In the bottom view  206  and the top projection view  208 , the elevation system  202  is depicted fully deployed. In connection with the illustrated example  200 , the phrase “fully deployed” refers to a state where all of the legs of the elevation system  202  have been inserted into the sockets  210  and are secured, e.g., the threaded ends of the legs have been screwed into the corresponding threading of the sockets  210 , as described in further detail below with respect to  FIGS.  6 - 11 C . 
     Generally speaking, the elevation system  202  is configured to elevate the cutting board  102  and the reinforcement plates  104  of the portable cutting system. The elevation system  202  may elevate the cutting board  102  and the reinforcement plates  104  a height above a surface on which the portable cutting apparatus is deployed. As noted above, this height is higher than a height that the table feet  126  are configured to elevate the cutting board  102  and the reinforcement plates  104  above a surface. 
     In one or more implementations, the elevation system  202  may be configured to elevate the cutting board  102  and the reinforcement plates  104  to a height that enables a user to stand while using the cutting surface  112 , e.g., to prepare food or drinks, filet fish, or process game. Additionally or alternatively, the elevation system  202  may enable the cutting board  102  and the reinforcement plates  104  to be elevated to a plurality of different heights or across a range of heights, e.g., the elevation system  202  may be adjustable to different the height to which it elevates the cutting board  102  and the reinforcement plates  104 . By way of example, legs of the elevation system  202  may be telescoping or otherwise extendable and retractable to different heights. In this way a height of the cutting board  102  and the reinforcement plates  104  may be adjusted for users using the apparatus having a range of different heights and/or anatomy, e.g., long or short legs. An example implementation where legs of the elevation system  202  are adjustable to different heights is described in further detail below with respect to  FIGS.  12  and  13   . Alternatively, legs of the elevation system  202  may have a substantially static length (e.g., only endcaps of the legs may be adjustable to steady the table on an uneven surface), where the length is designed to elevate the cutting board  102  and the reinforcement plates  104  to a height that is generally suitable for a range of users. 
     By elevating the cutting surface  112  of the cutting board  102 , the elevation system  202  may enable users to deploy the portable cutting apparatus in a manner that is more ergonomically friendly, sanitary, and convenient, than simply placing a cutting board on various surfaces, such as on the ground, a cooler, a user&#39;s lap while seated, or a truck tailgate, to name just a few. Another advantage of the portable cutting apparatus is that it provides a standalone, dedicated cutting surface. This allows a user to position the portable cutting apparatus away from tables or other surfaces where users may cut or prepare food, and in so doing, prevent whatever the user is handling on the cutting surface  112  from contaminating food being prepared on those other surfaces (and vice-versa). 
     In one or more implementations, the reinforcement plates  104  provide reinforcement for the elevation system  202  when the elevation system  202  elevates the portable cutting apparatus into the elevated state. By way of example, the reinforcement plates  104  may be formed from a material such as metal. Due to being constructed from metal, the reinforcement plates  104  may structurally reinforce (by bracing the side walls  116  across the channel  118 ) the portable cutting apparatus. The reinforcement plates  104  may also provide a more secure fit of the elevation system  202  (e.g., its legs) into receptacles of the portable cutting apparatus (e.g., the sockets  210 ) than the receptacles may provide without the reinforcement plates  104 . 
     In the illustrated example  200 , the top projection view  208  shows a portion of a threshold mechanism  212  configured to secure the elevation system  202  when stored in the storage cavity  124 . In the context of securing the elevation system  202  in the storage cavity  124 , consider the following discussion. 
       FIG.  3    depicts an example  300  of a cutaway view of the portable cutting apparatus showing a threshold mechanism to secure the elevation system in the cavity. 
     In the illustrated example  300 , the cutaway view depicts the cutting board  102 , the reinforcement plates  104 , the table feet  126 , and the elevation system  202  (e.g., a leg). The illustrated example  300  also includes threshold bridge  302 , which is depicted having a latch  304  and a bumper  306 . In this example  300 , the threshold bridge  302 , the latch  304 , and the bottom projection view  204  form the threshold mechanism. 
     In general, the threshold mechanism is configured to removably secure the elevation system  202  within the storage cavity  124 , formed by attaching the reinforcement plates  104  to the cutting board  102 . In the scenario where the elevation system  202  includes legs, for example, the threshold mechanism is configured to mechanically secure the legs within the storage cavity  124  so that the legs cannot be easily removed without a targeted (e.g., intentional) application of force to remove the legs from the storage cavity  124 . In other words, the threshold mechanism is configured to mechanically secure the elevation system  202  so that it does not “fall out” of the storage cavity  124  while the portable cutting apparatus is simply being carried or otherwise moved. Nonetheless, the threshold mechanism is also configured to allow the elevation system  202  to be removed from the storage cavity  124  with a targeted application of force, such as an application of force by a user to pull the elevation system  202  out of the cavity through the threshold mechanism, where the application of force has a magnitude and a direction sufficient to overcome one or more securing components of the threshold mechanism. 
     In this example  300 , the latch  304  and the bumper  306  may be configured as the securing components of the threshold mechanism. As illustrated, the latch  304  and the bumper  306  may be configured to secure the elevation system  202  using springs. Springs of the latch  304  and the bumper  306  may have a stiffness that causes those springs to have a resting position which disposes the latch  304  and the bumper  306  in positions to secure the elevation system  202 , e.g., by pressing the elevation system  202  against a surface of the channel  118  within the storage cavity  124 . The stiffness of those springs may also be selected so that the springs compress responsive to a targeted force to remove the elevation system  202  from the storage cavity  124 . Responsive to such a targeted force, for example, the springs of the latch  304  and the bumper  306  may be configured to compress, allowing the elevation system  202  to pass over the latch  304  and the bumper  306 . The springs of the latch  304  and the bumper  306  may also be configured to compress when the elevation system  202  passes over the latch  304  and the bumper  306  during insertion into the storage cavity  124 . When those springs are compressed, they store mechanical energy. When there is space for the springs to advance the latch  304  and the bumper  306  away from the reinforcement plates  104 , though, the mechanical energy stored in the springs causes the springs to decompress (e.g., spring) back toward their resting positions. 
     To this end, the elevation system  202  may have a shape configured to enable securing components, such as the latch  304 , to actuate to a position that secures the elevation system  202 , responsive to the elevation system  202  being disposed substantially in a storage position. As discussed in more detail below, the portable cutting apparatus may be configured with a threshold bridge  302  at each end, e.g., a first threshold bridge  302  at the first end  120  and a second threshold bridge  302  at the second end  122 . In such a configuration, the pair of threshold bridges may be configured identically or substantially identically, e.g., both threshold bridges may include a similar or same set of the latches  304  and the bumpers  306 —each threshold bridge may include a latch and a bumper for each leg. In this way, the bumpers  306  may be configured to press against the legs at both ends, e.g., a bumper of one threshold bridge may press against a leg proximate the end of the leg (the portion inserted into the leg cups) and a bumper of the other threshold bridge may press against that leg proximate a foot of the leg (the portion contacting the ground when in the elevated state). In this way, the bumpers  306  may prevent one or more portions of the elevation system  202  from “rattling around” in the storage cavity  124 . 
     Additionally, an end of each leg of the elevation system  202  may have a shape that is configured to contact a portion of the threshold bridge  302  (e.g., a wall or lip of the bridge&#39;s surface) and the latch  304  when the leg is inserted into the storage cavity  124  and reaches the storage position. In the storage position, the end of the leg may be shaped so that a portion of the shape is secured between the latch  304  in the non-compressed position and the portion of the threshold bridge  302  (e.g., the wall or lip). The threshold bridge  302  may include various combinations of securing components, such as combinations having at least one latch and/or at least one bumper. 
     In one or more implementations, the threshold bridge  302  is attached to one of the reinforcement plates  104 , such that each reinforcement plate has a respective threshold bridge  302 . In such implementations, the legs can be inserted into the storage cavity  124  via either end of the portable cutting apparatus, e.g., there may be threshold mechanisms  212  at one or both ends  120 ,  122  of the portable cutting apparatus. The reinforcement plates  104  and their respective threshold bridge  302  may be attached to form a threshold assembly. In this way, when the reinforcement plates  104  are attached to the cutting board  102 , the threshold bridges  302  are also attached as part of the portable cutting apparatus. By way of example, the threshold bridge  302  may be inserted between the side walls  116  of the cutting board  102 , such that the threshold bridge  302  contacts the side walls  116 . Thus, when the threshold assembly is attached to the cutting board  102  for operation, the threshold bridge  302  may contact the side walls  116  along the channel  118 , and the respective reinforcement plate  104  may contact the side walls  116  along a surface of the cutting board  102  that faces a surface on which the portable cutting apparatus is deployed. 
     Although the threshold mechanism is discussed as comprising a threshold bridge  302  with a plurality of the latches  304  and the bumpers  306  to mechanically secure the elevation system  202  (e.g., legs) while stored in the storage cavity  124  (e.g., based on springs), it is to be appreciated that the threshold mechanism may be configured in different ways to secure the elevation system  202  within the storage cavity  124  in the spirit or scope of the described techniques. 
     In the illustrated example  300 , the cutting board  102  also is depicted having drip channel  308 . In general, the drip channel  308  is configured to hold liquids (e.g., blood) that flow from the cutting surface  112 . By holding those liquids, the drip channel  308  may reduce an amount of liquid on the cutting surface  112  while a user is cutting. This may enable safer and easier cutting on the cutting surface  112  of the portable cutting apparatus. Consider the following discussion of  FIG.  4   , which describes one example of the drip channel  308 . 
       FIG.  4    depicts an example  400  of a cutting surface of the portable cutting apparatus along with a view of a portion of a bottom surface of the portable cutting apparatus. 
     The illustrated example  400  includes the cutting board  102  from  FIG.  1   . In particular, the illustrated example  400  depicts a view of the cutting surface  112  of the cutting board  102  along with a separate view  402  of a portion of the bottom surface  114  of the cutting board  102 . In this example  400 , the drip channel  308  is depicted bordering the cutting surface  112  and is further surrounded by lip  404 , which enables liquids to be captured and held in the drip channel  308  and routed to a spillway  406  rather than simply spill over any edge of the portable cutting apparatus. 
     In one or more implementations, the portable cutting apparatus also includes one or more accessory attachment mechanisms  408 . In the illustrated example, the accessory attachment mechanism  408  is depicted as a protrusion, e.g., protruding from the bottom surface  114  of the cutting board  102 . It is to be appreciated, however, that in one or more implementations, the accessory attachment mechanisms  408  may be configured as cavities rather than protrusions. Indeed, the accessory attachment mechanisms  408  may be configured in a variety of ways to enable accessories to be clipped to the portable cutting apparatus. 
     By way of example, the accessory attachment mechanisms  408  may be positioned substantially at corners of the bottom surface  114  of the cutting board  102 , e.g., one mechanism at each corner. For instance, the accessory attachment mechanisms  408  may be positioned on or within shelves  410  at the corners of the bottom surface  114 , e.g., protrusions may be attached to the shelves  410  or cavities may be formed into those shelves  410 . Accessories may thus be removably attached to corners of the portable cutting apparatus. It is to be appreciated that the portable cutting apparatus may include accessory attachment mechanisms  408  at different locations, e.g., along the ends  120 ,  122 , of the bottom surface  114  without departing from the spirit or scope of the techniques described herein. 
     In general, the accessory attachment mechanisms  408 , in concert with the drip channel  308  and the lip  404 , may enable accessories to be “clipped” onto the cutting board  102 . By way of example, an accessory may include a first channel having a complementary shape to the lip  404  and a second channel or a protrusion having a complementary shape to the accessory attachment mechanisms  408 . When the accessory attachment mechanisms  408  are configured as protrusions, an accessory configured with first and second channels may be clipped onto the cutting board  102  such that the lip  404  is disposed in the first channel of the accessory and an accessory attachment mechanism  408  is disposed in the second channel of the accessory. When the accessory attachment mechanisms  408  are configured as cavities, an accessory configured with a channel complementary to the lip  404  and a protrusion complementary to the mechanism may be clipped onto the cutting board  102  such that the lip  404  is disposed into the accessory&#39;s channel and such that the accessory&#39;s protrusion is disposed within the accessory attachment mechanism  408 . Examples of accessories may include, but are not limited to, beverage holders, knife or other utensil holders, tool holders, surface extensions, and lighting, to name just a few. It is to be appreciated that accessories may be clipped around edges of the cutting board  102  in different ways in the spirit or scope of the techniques described herein. 
     In one or more implementations, the cutting surface  112  with the drip channel  308  may be configured to interface with one or more additional cutting surfaces. By way of example, an additional cutting surface having a depth and a width substantially similar to the cutting surface may be disposed “on top” of the cutting surface  112 . For instance, a user may place an aesthetically pleasing (e.g., acacia, teak, or bamboo) additional cutting surface on top of the cutting surface  112 . Such an additional cutting surface may include protrusions having a complementary shape to the drip channel  308 , such that when the additional cutting surface is placed on top of the cutting surface  112 , those protrusions are disposed in the drip channel  308 . As mentioned above, the cutting surface  112  may be configured to have two additional cutting surfaces placed on top, such that the two additional cutting surfaces are placed side-by-side. Each of those additional cutting surfaces may have protrusions that match a respective half of the drip channel  308 , such that when one those additional cutting surfaces is placed on the cutting surface  112  its protrusions are disposed within a respective half of the drip channel  308 . It is to be appreciated that the portable cutting apparatus may be configured in different ways for the removable attachment of accessories without departing from the spirit or scope of the described techniques. 
     Having discussed exemplary details of the portable cutting apparatus, consider now some examples of procedures to illustrate additional aspects for deployment of the apparatus. 
     Example Portable Cutting Apparatus Procedures 
     This section describes examples of procedures for the portable cutting apparatus. The procedures are shown as a set of blocks that specify operations performed and are not necessarily limited to the orders shown for performing the operations by the respective blocks. 
       FIG.  5    depicts a procedure  500  in an example implementation in which a storage cavity of a portable cutting apparatus is formed by attaching reinforcement plates to a bottom surface of a cutting board. 
     A cutting board is formed to include a cutting surface and a bottom surface that includes side walls disposed along opposite edges of the bottom surface (block  502 ). By way of example, cutting board  102  is formed to include cutting surface  112  and bottom surface  114 . The cutting board  102  is formed so that the bottom surface  114  includes side walls  116 . The side walls  116  are disposed along opposite edges of the bottom surface  114  of the cutting board  102 , such that a channel  118  is formed between the side walls  116 , separating the side walls  116 . 
     In one or more implementations, the cutting board  102  may be formed using a roto-molding technique, such that the cutting board  102  comprises roto-molded polyethylene. By using roto-molding—rather than forming the cutting board  102  using other techniques like blow molding—the cutting board  102  may be more durable than cutting surfaces that are formed using those other techniques. Filling a roto-molded shell, e.g., by pressure injecting foam, can also further increase the durability of the cutting board  102  relative to cutting surfaces formed using those other techniques. Additionally, by filling the cutting board  102  with a material, such as foam, the cutting board  102  has a substantially “solid” construction and not a “hollow” construction. This contrasts with various conventionally configured cutting surfaces having elevation systems. 
     A storage cavity is formed for storing an elevation system for the cutting board by attaching a first reinforcement plate to the side walls at a first end of the bottom surface of the cutting board and attaching a second reinforcement plate to the side walls at a second end of the bottom surface of the cutting board (block  504 ). By way of example, the reinforcement plates  104  may each be attached to both of the side walls  116  in order to form the storage cavity  124  for storing the elevation system  202 . A first of the reinforcement plates  104  may be attached to the side walls  116  at a first end  120  of the bottom surface  114  of the cutting board  102 , such that this first reinforcement plate spans from a first of the side walls  116  at the first end  120 , across the channel  118  at the first end  120 , and to a second of the side walls  116  at the first end  120 . Further, a second of the reinforcement plates  104  may be attached to the side walls  116  at a second end  122  of the bottom surface  114  of the cutting board  102 , such that this second reinforcement plate also spans from the first of the side walls  116  at the second end  122 , across the channel  118  at the second end  122 , and to the second of the side walls  116  at the second end  122 . As depicted, the first end  120  and the second end  122  may be positioned at opposite ends of the bottom surface  114  of the cutting board  102 . In one or more implementations, the side walls  116  may be substantially parallel to an axis, e.g., a longitudinal axis of the cutting board  102  or an axis that runs substantially along an edge of a rectangularly-shaped cutting board. The reinforcement plates  104  may be attached to the side walls  116  so that the reinforcement plates  104  are positioned substantially orthogonal (perpendicular) to such an axis and thus also the side walls  116 . 
     The elevation system for the cutting board is stored within the storage cavity (block  506 ). By way of example, the elevation system  202  is stored within the storage cavity  124 . In one or more implementations, the elevation system  202  may comprise a plurality of legs, each of which may be stored within the storage cavity  124 . 
     Having discussed exemplary procedures for the portable cutting apparatus, consider now some example configurations of the portable cutting apparatus and elevation system to facilitate deployment of the apparatus. 
     Portable Cutting Apparatus Elevation System 
       FIG.  6    depicts an example  600  of an element of the elevation system configured for insertion into, and removal from, a socket of the portable cutting apparatus. 
     The illustrated example  600  includes a leg of the elevation system  202  and one of the sockets  210  from  FIG.  2   . In the illustrated example  600 , the leg of the elevation system  202  includes a protrusion  602  configured for insertion into a cavity (e.g., a leg cup) of the socket  210 . To enable mechanical coupling of the leg of the elevation system  202  within the socket  210 , the protrusion  602  is threaded to include an alignment element  604 . 
     The alignment element  604  includes a ramp surface  606  and a front mesh guard  608 , which are configured to ensure proper alignment of the protrusion  602  with the socket  210  for mechanically coupling the leg of the elevation system  202  with the socket  210 . To mechanically couple the leg of the elevation system  202  with the socket  210 , the protrusion  602  includes one or more teeth  610 , such as tooth  610 ( 1 ),  610 ( 2 ),  610 ( 3 ), and  610 ( n ), where n represents any suitable integer. For instance, in an example implementation where the protrusion  602  is configured with two teeth  610 , n is defined as two. In another example implementation where the protrusion  602  is configured with ten teeth  610 , n is defined as ten. In this manner, a number of teeth  610  included in the protrusion is configurable based on a size of the protrusion  602  and the socket  210  (e.g., a length of the protrusion  602 , a depth of the socket  210 , etc.), design parameters (e.g., manufacturing tolerances) for the portable cutting apparatus, and so forth, and is not limited by the example implementations described herein. 
     Collectively, the alignment element  604  and the one or more teeth  610  define a threading  612  for the protrusion. In some implementations, the protrusion  602  includes a plurality of threadings  612 , where each threading  612  extends around a portion of a circumference of the protrusion  602 . When the protrusion  602  is configured with multiple threadings  612 , each threading  612  may be spaced from another threading  612  based on a length of a counterpart threading for the socket  210 , as described in further detail below with respect to  FIG.  7   . In some implementations where the protrusion  602  is configured with multiple threadings  612 , each threading  612  may be spaced from another threading  612  based on a length of the threading  612 . For instance, a length of the threading  612  may be defined based on a distance from a leading edge  614  of the threading  612  to a trailing edge  616  of the threading  612 . By way of example, the protrusion  602  and the threading  612  may be formed from a material such as metal (e.g., aluminum). Due to being constructed from metal, the protrusion  602  and the threading  612  provide structural support (by bracing the protrusion  602  within the socket  210 ) for the portable cutting apparatus during deployment of the elevation system  202 . 
     In the illustrated example  600 , the protrusion  602  is configured with two threadings  612  and depicted from a perspective where the leading edge  614  is visible for a first of the two threadings  612  and the trailing edge  616  is visible for a second of the two threadings  612 . Each threading  612  is optionally configurable to include a rear mesh guard  618 , which is configured to prevent the threading  612  from re-meshing with the socket  210  during removal of the protrusion, as described in further detail below. 
     The protrusion  602  is fitted with a seal ring  620 , which is configured to create a seal between the leg of the elevation system  202  and the socket  210  when the leg of the elevation system  202  is fully inserted into the socket  210 . In this manner, the seal ring  620  prevents debris (e.g., dust, liquid, etc.) from entering the socket  210  during deployment of the elevation system  202 . In some implementations, full insertion of the leg of the elevation system  202  into the socket  210  occurs when a tip  622  of the protrusion  602  contacts a ceiling  624  of the socket (e.g., a deepest surface of a cavity defined by the socket  210 , relative to the bottom surface  114 ). In such implementations, the tip  622  of the protrusion  602  contacting the ceiling  624  of the socket  210  provides a contact surface that supports the cutting board  102  together with the teeth  610  during deployment of the elevation system  202 . Alternatively, full insertion of the leg of the elevation system  202  into the socket  210  occurs before the tip  622  contacts the ceiling  624  of the socket, such that a gap exists between the tip  622  of the protrusion  602  and the ceiling  624  of the socket  210  during deployment of the elevation system  202 . In such alternative implementations, the teeth  610  support the cutting board  102  during deployment of the elevation system  202 . 
     In some implementations, the tip  622  of the protrusion  602  is configured to receive a fastener (e.g., a screw) to couple the protrusion  602  to the leg of the elevation system  202 , such that the protrusion  602  is fastened to a tip of the leg opposite a corresponding one of the table feet  126 . Alternatively, the protrusion  602  may be formed as part of the leg of the elevation system  202  (e.g., molded as part of the leg, extruded as part of the leg, milled from the leg, and so forth), such that a fastener is not necessary to couple the protrusion  602  to the leg of the elevation system  202 . 
       FIG.  7    depicts an example  700  of a cutaway view of an element of the portable cutting apparatus configured to receive and mechanically secure a protrusion of the elevation system. 
     In the illustrated example  700 , the cutaway view depicts the socket  210  exposed to reveal aspects of the socket  210  that enable mechanical coupling of the protrusion  602  with the socket  210 . The socket  210  is threaded to include an alignment element  702 , which is comprised of a ramp surface  704  and a front mesh guard  706 . The ramp surface  704  is configured to interface with the ramp surface  606  of the alignment element  604  by gliding along the ramp surface  606  to bias rotation of the protrusion  602  for proper alignment with the socket  210  during insertion of the leg of the elevation system  202 , as described in further detail below. The front mesh guard  706  is configured to prevent premature meshing of the teeth  610  with teeth  708  of the socket  210  during insertion of the leg of the elevation system  202  into the socket  210 . 
     To mechanically couple the leg of the elevation system  202  with the socket  210 , the socket is threaded with one or more teeth  708 , such as tooth  708 ( 1 ),  708 ( 2 ),  708 ( 3 ),  708 ( 4 ), and  708 ( m ), where m represents any suitable integer. For instance, when the socket  210  is configured with three teeth  708 , m is defined as three, when the socket  210  is configured with nine teeth  708 , m is defined as nine, and so forth. In this manner, a quantity of teeth  708  is generally defined based on a quantity of the teeth  610  of the protrusion  602 , such that m=n±1. 
     In addition to being defined based on a quantity of the teeth  610 , the teeth  708  are dimensioned to serve as counterparts for the teeth  610  to mechanically couple the protrusion  602  with the socket  210 . For instance, the teeth  708  are spaced to be meshed with the teeth  610 , such a gap between adjacent teeth  708  is configured to receive a height of a corresponding one of the teeth  610  (e.g., a dimension of the corresponding one of the teeth  610  that is generally perpendicular to an axis running from the leading edge  614  and the trailing edge  616  of the tooth). Collectively, the ramp surface  704  and the one or more teeth  708  define a threading  710  for the socket  210 . 
     In some implementations, the socket  210  includes a plurality of the threadings  710 , where each threading  710  extends around a portion of a circumference of an interior wall of the socket  210 . When the socket  210  is configured with multiple threadings  710 , each threading  710  is spaced from another threading based on a length of a corresponding threading  612  (e.g., a dimension spanning from a leading edge  614  to a trailing edge  616  of the threading  612 ). Similarly, a spacing between multiple threadings  612  around a circumference of the protrusion  602  is configured based on a length of a threading  710  of the socket  210 , such as a dimension spanning from a leading edge  712  to a trailing edge  714  of the threading  710 . 
     In some configurations, the teeth  708  extend away from an interior wall of the socket  210  at varying degrees along a length of the threading  710 . For instance, each of the teeth  708  may be configured to extend away from the interior wall at a lesser “height” at the leading edge  712  and at a greater “height” at the trailing edge  714 , such that each tooth  708  gradually extends from an interior surface of the socket at a greater degree from the leading edge  712  towards the trailing edge  714 . Alternatively or additionally, one or more of the teeth  708  may be dimensioned to vary in “width” (e.g., a dimension measured along a depth of the socket  210 ) from the leading edge  712  to the trailing edge  714 , such that a gap between adjacent teeth  708  decreases from the leading edge  712  towards the trailing edge  714  to bring the teeth  708  into contact with teeth  610  when the protrusion  602  is fully inserted and screwed into the socket  210 . 
     In a configuration where the teeth  708  extend away from the interior surface of the socket  210  at a height that gradually increases from a leading edge  712  to a trailing edge  714 , the teeth  708  are configured to restrict meshing of the teeth  610  using the rear mesh guard  618 , as described in further detail below. For instance, when the protrusion  602  is fully inserted into the  210 , a distance between the interior surface of the socket  210  upon which the threading  710  is disposed relative to the rear mesh guard  618  is greater than a “height” at which the leading edge  712  of the teeth  708  extends from the interior surface of the socket  210  and less than a “height” at which the trailing edge  714  of the teeth  708  extends from the interior surface of the socket  210 . 
     By way of example, the interior surface of the socket  210  and the threading  710  may be formed from a material such as metal (e.g., aluminum). Due to being constructed from metal, the threading  710  is configured to provide structural support (by bracing the protrusion  602  within the socket  210 ) for the portable cutting apparatus during deployment of the elevation system  202 . The threading  710  is configured to be formed as part of the socket  210  (e.g., molded or machined as part of the socket), such that the socket  210  and the threading  710  are formed from a single piece of material (e.g., a single piece of metal). In some implementations, the socket  210  is comprised of a plurality of different portions, which are attached to one another via fasteners  716  (e.g., screws) to facilitate ease in forming the threading  710  as part of the socket  210 . 
       FIG.  8    depicts an example  800  of an element of the elevation system during aligned insertion into a socket of the portable cutting apparatus. 
     The illustrated example  800  depicts the protrusion  602  of a leg of the elevation system  202  as partially inserted into the socket  210  of the portable cutting apparatus. In the illustrated example  800 , the front mesh guard  608  of the protrusion&#39;s alignment element  604  prevents premature meshing of the teeth  610  and the teeth  708  by preventing rotation of the protrusion  602 , during aligned insertion, until fully inserted into the socket  210 . For instance, during aligned insertion of the protrusion  602  into the socket  210 , the front mesh guard  608  prevents meshing by contacting a leading edge  712  of the alignment element  702  or one or more teeth  708  of the socket&#39;s threading  710 . 
     Similarly, the front mesh guard  706  of the socket&#39;s alignment element  702  prevents premature meshing of the teeth  708  and the teeth  610  by preventing rotation of the protrusion  602 , during aligned insertion, until the protrusion  602  is fully inserted into the socket  210 . For instance, during aligned insertion of the protrusion  602  into the socket  210 , the front mesh guard  706  prevents meshing by contacting a leading edge  614  of the alignment element  604  or one or more teeth  610  of the protrusion&#39;s threading  612 . Achieving alignment of the protrusion  602  relative to the socket  210  is described in further detail below with respect to  FIGS.  11 A- 11 C . 
       FIG.  9    depicts an example  900  of an element of the elevation system fully inserted into a socket of the portable cutting apparatus prior to meshing with the socket. 
     The illustrated example  900  depicts the protrusion  602  of the leg of the elevation system  202  as aligned with, and fully inserted into, the socket  210 . The protrusion  602  is considered to be “fully inserted” into the socket  210  when the front mesh guard  608  clears a deepest one of the teeth  708  (e.g., a tooth disposed closest to the ceiling  624  of the socket  210 ), such that the protrusion  602  is able to rotate and mesh the teeth  610  of the protrusion  602  with the teeth  708  of the socket  210 . Alternatively or additionally, the protrusion  602  is considered to be fully inserted into the socket  210  when the seal ring  620  of the protrusion  602  contacts the socket  210 . Alternatively or additionally, the protrusion  602  is configured to be fully inserted into the socket  210  when the tip  622  of the socket achieves a minimum distance relative to the ceiling  624  of the socket  210  (e.g., when the tip  622  contacts the ceiling  624 ). 
       FIG.  10    depicts an example  1000  of an element of the elevation system meshed with a socket of the portable cutting apparatus. 
     The illustrated example  1000  depicts the protrusion  602  of the leg of the elevation system  202  as fully inserted into, and meshed with, the socket  210 . To mesh the protrusion  602  with  210 , the leg of the elevation system  202  is rotated in the direction indicated by arrow  1002  from the configuration depicted by the illustrated example  900  until further rotation in the direction indicated by the arrow  1002  is prevented by the rear mesh guard  618 . 
     The illustrated example  1000  depicts an example implementation where rotation of the protrusion  602  in the direction of the arrow  1002  is configured to position the rear mesh guard  618  beyond a leading edge  712  of the alignment element  702 . For instance, the illustrated example  1000  depicts an example implementation where the teeth  708  of the alignment element  702  extend away from an interior wall of the socket  210  at varying degrees along a length of the threading  710 , such that the teeth  708  extend from a surface of the socket wall from a lesser “height” at the leading edge  712  to a greater “height” at the trailing edge  714 . 
     The respective heights, of the teeth  708  relative to an interior surface of the socket  210 , and of the rear mesh guard  618  relative to a surface of the protrusion  602 , thus define a maximum point of rotation in the direction of the arrow  1002  for meshing the protrusion  602  with the socket  210 . For example, in some implementations the rear mesh guard  618  is configured to extend from a surface of the protrusion  602  to a distance that exceeds a clearance between a leading edge  712  of the teeth  708  and the surface of the protrusion  602  when the protrusion  602  is fully inserted into the socket  210 . In such an implementation, the configuration prevents the rear mesh guard  618  from crossing the leading edge  712  of the teeth  708  when rotated from the orientation depicted in the illustrated example  900  in the direction indicated by the arrow  1002 . 
     In a similar manner, the rear mesh guard  618  prevents re-meshing of the threading  612  (e.g., meshing of the threading  612  with a different one of the threadings  710  included in socket  210 ) during removal of the protrusion  602  from the socket  210 . For instance, when the protrusion  602  is rotated from the orientation depicted in the illustrated example  1000  in the direction indicated by arrow  1004 , the rear mesh guard  618  is configured to prevent further rotation in the direction indicated by the arrow  1004  by contacting the trailing edge  714  of the teeth  708 . Upon contacting the trailing edge  714  of the teeth  708 , the rear mesh guard  618  restricts further rotation of the protrusion  602  in the direction indicated by the arrow  1004  and achieves the orientation indicated by the illustrated example  900 , permitting removal of the leg of the elevation system  202  from the socket  210 . 
       FIG.  11 A  depicts an example  1100  of an element of the elevation system during unaligned insertion into a socket of the portable cutting apparatus.  FIG.  11 B  depicts an example  1102  of an alignment component of an element of the elevation system biasing the element towards alignment with a socket of the portable cutting apparatus during unaligned insertion into the socket of the portable cutting apparatus.  FIG.  11 C  depicts an example  1104  of an element of the elevation system aligned for insertion into a socket of the portable cutting apparatus. 
     The illustrated example  1100  depicts the protrusion  602  of a leg of the elevation system  202  during insertion of the protrusion  602  into the socket  210  (e.g., in a direction indicated by arrow  1106 ) when the protrusion  602  is not aligned for full insertion into the socket  210 . As described herein, the protrusion  602  is “not aligned,” “misaligned,” or “unaligned” for full insertion into the socket  210  when the alignment element  604  contacts the alignment element  702  during insertion of the protrusion  602  into the socket  210  generally in the direction indicated by the arrow  1106 . 
     The illustrated example  1102  depicts the protrusion  602  as being inserted further (relative to the illustrated example  1100 ) into the socket  210 . In the illustrated example  1102 , the protrusion  602  is inserted into the socket  210  to a point where the ramp surface  704  of the alignment element  702  contacts the ramp surface  606  of the alignment element  604 . The ramp surface  704  and the ramp surface  606  are configured to glide along one another to bias rotation of the protrusion  602  in the direction indicated by arrow  1108 . 
     Thus, the ramp surface  704  and the ramp surface  606  are configured to transfer force applied to the protrusion  602  generally in the direction indicated by the arrow  1106  (e.g., during insertion of the protrusion  602  into the socket  210 ) to the direction indicated by the arrow  1108 . In this manner, the alignment elements  604  and  702  are configured to guide the protrusion  602  of the leg of the elevation system  202  into alignment with the socket  210 , mitigating the need for a user of the portable cutting apparatus to ensure that the leg of the elevation system  202  is rotationally aligned with the socket  210  prior to insertion of the protrusion  602 . The ramp surface  606  and the ramp surface  704  are configured to guide rotation of the protrusion  602  until proper alignment is achieved for fully inserting the protrusion  602  into the socket  210 , as depicted by the illustrated example  1104 . 
     In the illustrated example  1104 , the protrusion  602  is depicted as having been rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow  1108  from the orientation depicted by the illustrated example  1102  until a gap  1110  between alignment elements  604  of the protrusion  602  is positioned such that inserting the protrusion  602  into the socket  210  in the direction generally indicated by the arrow  1106  does not cause the ramp surface  606  and the ramp surface  704  to contact one another. In some implementations, the ramp surface  606  and the ramp surface  704  are configured to bias rotation of the protrusion  602  in the direction indicated by the arrow  1108  until the front mesh guard  608  contacts the front mesh guard  706 . In such an implementation, gliding the ramp surface  606  along the ramp surface  704  until rotation in the direction of the arrow  1108  until the front mesh guard  608  contacts the front mesh guard  706  provides tactile feedback to a user of the portable cutting apparatus that the protrusion  602  is properly aligned with the socket  210  for full insertion and meshing. Complete insertion of the protrusion  602  into the socket  210  can then be achieved by continuing to insert the protrusion  602  from the position indicated by the illustrated example  1104  along the direction indicated by the arrow  1106  until achieving the position indicated by the illustrated example  900  of  FIG.  9   . After fully inserting and meshing each of the one or more legs elevation system  202  into respective sockets  210  of the portable cutting apparatus, the cutting board  102  is fully deployed and configured for use in an elevated configuration. 
     Although described herein as being used to mechanically secure a leg of the elevation system  202  to the portable cutting apparatus, these examples do not exhaustively describe possible implementations for the socket  210  and the protrusion  602 . Rather, the socket  210  is configured to secure any component outfitted with the protrusion  602  to the portable cutting apparatus. Further, although the respective threadings of the protrusion  602  and the socket  210  are described as being incorporated as part of a portable cutting apparatus, the protrusion  602  and socket  210  are useable in a variety of additional applications, such as for securing furniture (e.g., chairs, stools, etc.) components, securing tent poles, and so forth. 
     In addition to being configured for easy deployment and removal from the sockets  210  of the portable cutting apparatus, the legs of the elevation system  202  are further configured for leveling the cutting surface  112  and preventing the portable cutting apparatus from sliding on a variety of surfaces when the elevation system  202  is deployed. 
       FIG.  12    depicts an example  1200  of a cutaway view of a foot for an elevation system of the portable cutting apparatus positioned in a retracted and level orientation. The illustrated example  1200  includes a cutaway view of a table foot  126  attached to a leg of the elevation system  202 . To attach the table foot  126  to the leg of the elevation system  202 , the leg is constructed to include an internal threading  1202  disposed within an exterior housing  1204 . In some implementations, the internal threading  1202  and the exterior housing  1204  are formed from a single piece of material (e.g., metal, plastic, etc.), such that the internal threading  1202  is machined from the exterior housing  1204 . 
     Alternatively, the internal threading  1202  and the exterior housing  1204  may be formed from separate materials, such that the internal threading  1202  is inserted into and attached to the exterior housing  1204  of the leg of the elevation system  202 . In implementations where the internal threading  1202  and the exterior housing  1204  are formed from separate materials, the internal threading  1202  may be secured within the exterior housing  1204  via an endcap  1206 . The endcap  1206  may be removably secured to the leg of the elevation system  202  to enable removal and replacement of the internal threading  1202  or may be permanently affixed to the leg of the elevation system  202 . Alternatively or additionally, in implementations where the internal threading  1202  and the exterior housing  1204  are formed from a single piece of material, the endcap  1206  may similarly represent a portion of the single piece of material. 
     The thread of the internal threading  1202  is representative of a female thread configured to receive a male thread of a foot threading  1208  for the table foot  126 . As described in further detail below with respect to  FIG.  13   , the internal threading  1202  and the foot threading  1208  are configured to enable adjustment of a distance between a base of the table foot  126  and the endcap  1206 . To enable adjustment of the distance between the based on the table foot  126  and the endcap  1206 , the table foot is configured to include an adjustment grip  1210 . The adjustment grip  1210  is configured to be gripped by a hand of a user of the portable cutting apparatus and rotated to screw or unscrew the foot threading  1208  relative to the internal threading  1202 . In some implementations, the foot threading  1208  is formed from a first material (e.g., plastic) and the adjustment grip  1210  is formed from a second material (e.g., rubber) to facilitate easy grip and adjustment of the table foot  126  relative to the leg of the elevation system  202 . Alternatively, in some implementations the foot threading  1208  is formed from a same material as the adjustment grip  1210 . 
     The table foot  126  is fabricated to include a cavity  1212  disposed within the foot threading  1208 , where the cavity is constrained by sidewalls of the foot threading  1208  opposite the male threads and a cavity floor  1214 . The cavity floor  1214  is configured to extend inward from an exterior toward a center of the table foot  126 , leaving a gap  1218  at the center of the table foot  126 . The gap  1218  is configured to enable movement of a foot cap  1216  within the cavity  1212  and enable adjustment of an angle at which the table foot  126  is oriented. 
     The foot cap  1216  is connected to a ball  1220  and a base  1222  of the table foot  126  via a fastener  1224  (e.g., a screw). In this manner, the ball  1220  is configured to articulate about a socket formed by a surface opposite the cavity floor  1214 . A range of motion by which the ball  1220  may articulate about the socket formed by the surface opposite the cavity floor  1214  is thus constrained by respective dimensions of the cavity  1212 , the foot cap  1216 , and the gap  1218 , and is not limited by the illustrated example  1300 . In accordance with one or more implementations, to enable ease of articulation about the socket formed by the surface opposite the cavity floor  1214 , the surface opposite the cavity floor  1214  and the ball  1220  may be formed from low-friction, long-wearing materials (e.g., nylon). The base  1222  of the table foot  126  may be formed of, for instance, a durable material (e.g., vulcanized rubber) configured to prevent the portable cutting apparatus from sliding on a surface (e.g., a tailgate of a truck, a surface of a boat, a kitchen counter, and so forth). 
     Although described herein in the context of various example materials, components of the elevation system  202  may be formed from other materials without departing from the spirit or scope of the techniques described herein. 
       FIG.  13    depicts an example  1300  of a cutaway view of a foot for an elevation system of the portable cutting apparatus positioned in an extended and angled orientation. The illustrated example  1300  includes a cutaway view of a table foot  126  attached to a leg of the elevation system  202 . Relative to the orientation depicted in the illustrated example  1200 , the table foot  126  is extended away from the endcap  1206  of the leg of the elevation system  202  by a distance  1302  and tilted at an angle θ. In this manner, the table foot  126  is configured to be adjusted such that a plane defined by the base  1222  can be oriented differently from a plane defined by the cutting surface  112  of the cutting board  102 , thereby enabling the portable cutting apparatus to adapt to a variety of surfaces and terrains while providing a level cutting surface. 
     To adjust the distance  1302  at which the table foot  126  is positioned from the endcap  1206 , a user of the portable cutting apparatus can twist the adjustment grip  1210  relative to the exterior housing  1204  of the leg of the elevation system  202 . Twisting the adjustment grip  1210  while the leg of the elevation system  202  is restricted from rotating (e.g., by mechanically securing the elevation system  202  within a socket of the portable cutting apparatus as described above with respect to  FIGS.  6 - 11 C , by the user gripping the exterior housing  1204 , and so forth) causes the foot threading  1208  to rotate within the internal threading  1202  and translate the twisting force into linear movement of the table foot  126  relative to the endcap  1206 . The direction of the linear movement of the table foot  126  relative to the endcap  1206  caused by twisting of the adjustment grip  1210  depends on a direction of the twisting as well as a thread direction for the internal threading  1202  and the foot threading  1208 . 
     For instance, configuring the internal threading  1202  and the foot threading  1208  with a right-handed thread and twisting the adjustment grip  1210  in a first direction about the leg of the elevation system  202  might cause the distance  1302  to increase while configuring the internal threading  1202  and the foot threading  1208  with a left-handed thread and twisting the adjustment grip  1210  in the first direction would cause the distance  1302  to decrease. A thread direction as well as a thread size, a thread form, a thread angle, a thread pitch, a thread depth, and other aspects of the internal threading  1202  and the foot threading  1208  are configurable in any variety of manners, and are not limited by the illustrated examples described herein. An amount of distance  1302  by which the table foot  126  may travel relative to the endcap  1206  is limited only by a depth of the internal threading  1202  relative to, and a length of, the leg of the elevation system  202 . In some implementations, the internal threading  1202  may extend an entire length of the leg of the elevation system  202 . 
     The table foot  126  is configured to be tilted at an angle θ relative to the “level” orientation depicted in the illustrated example  1200  by articulating the foot cap  1216  within the cavity  1212  and the ball  1220  about the socket formed opposite the cavity floor  1214 . In accordance with one or more implementations, the table foot  126  is configured to automatically adjust (e.g., without manual user manipulation of the table foot  126 ) to the angle θ to accommodate for a surface upon which the portable cutting apparatus is positioned based on force applied to the portable cutting apparatus (e.g., gravity, a load placed upon the cutting surface  112 , and so forth). Alternatively or additionally, the table foot  126  may be restricted from freely articulating (e.g., via friction between the ball  1220  and the socket formed by the surface opposite the cavity floor  1214 ) absent a user of the portable cutting apparatus physically adjusting the angle θ (e.g., by physically gripping the ball  1220  and/or the base  1222  and tilting the table foot  126 ) relative to the leg of the elevation system  202 . 
     In this manner, the elevation system  202  is configured to include a table foot  126  that is adjustable to achieve a different distance  1302  from the endcap  1206  of the table leg and a different angle θ, relative to a table foot  126  of a different leg of the elevation system  202 . The elevation system  202  thus enables orienting the portable cutting apparatus to achieve a level and stationary cutting surface  112 , even when deployed on uneven and slippery surfaces. 
     Having discussed exemplary details of the portable cutting apparatus elevation system, consider now some examples of procedures to illustrate additional aspects for deployment of the elevation system. 
     Example Portable Cutting Apparatus Procedures 
     This section describes examples of procedures for the portable cutting apparatus elevation system. The procedures are shown as a set of blocks that specify operations performed and are not necessarily limited to the orders shown for performing the operations by the respective blocks. 
       FIG.  14    depicts a procedure  1400  in an example implementation in which an elevation system for a portable cutting apparatus is deployed by forming a socket in the portable cutting apparatus, forming a leg of the elevation system, and meshing the leg of the elevation system with the socket. 
     A cutting board is formed to include a cutting surface and a bottom surface that includes side walls disposed along opposite edges of the bottom surface (block  1402 ). By way of example, cutting board  102  is formed to include cutting surface  112  and bottom surface  114 . The cutting board  102  is formed so that the bottom surface  114  includes side walls  116 . The side walls  116  are disposed along opposite edges of the bottom surface  114  of the cutting board  102 , such that a channel  118  is formed between the side walls  116 , separating the side walls  116 . 
     A socket is formed in the bottom surface that is configured to receive a leg of an elevation system for the cutting board by threading the socket to include an alignment element and at least one tooth (block  1404 ). By way of example, a socket  210  may be formed as a cavity in the bottom surface  114 , and optionally as part of a reinforcement plates  104  for the cutting board  102 . The socket  210  is threaded to include at least one threading  710 , where each threading  710  includes an alignment element  702  and one or more teeth  708 . The alignment element  702  includes a ramp surface  704  that is configured to rotationally bias a leg of the elevation system  202  towards alignment for full insertion during insertion of a protrusion  602  of the leg into the socket  210 . The front mesh guard  706  is configured to prevent the teeth  708  from meshing with the teeth  610  prior to full insertion of the protrusion  602  into the socket  210 . 
     A leg of the elevation system is formed (block  1406 ). To form the leg of the elevation system  202 , a protrusion of the leg is threaded with an alignment element and at least one tooth, where the alignment element of the protrusion is configured to glide along the alignment element of the socket and the at least one tooth of the protrusion is configured to mesh with the at least one tooth of the socket (block  1408 ). By way of example, a protrusion  602  may be formed as part of a leg of the elevation system  202 . The protrusion  602  is threaded to include at least one threading  612 , where each threading  612  includes an alignment element  604  and one or more teeth  610 . The alignment element  604  includes a ramp surface  606  configured to glide along the ramp surface  704  of the socket  210  during insertion of the protrusion  602  into the socket  210  until the protrusion  602  is aligned for full insertion into the socket  210 . The front mesh guard  608  is configured to prevent the teeth  610  from meshing with the teeth  708  prior to full insertion of the protrusion  602  into the socket  210 . 
     In some implementations, forming the leg of the elevation system  202  further includes threading a cavity of the leg opposite the protrusion to receive a table foot for the elevation system (block  1410 ). By way of example, a cavity is formed within an exterior housing  1204  of the leg of the elevation system  202  opposite the protrusion  602  and threaded with an internal threading  1202  to receive a table foot  126 . The internal threading  1202  is configured as a female threading for a counterpart male threading of the table foot  126 , such as the foot threading  1208 . The internal threading  1202  and the foot threading  1208  are configured to enable adjustment of the height of the elevation system  202  leg by rotating the table foot  126  to change a distance between a base  1222  of the table foot  126  and an endcap  1206  of the leg of the elevation system  202 . 
     The elevation system is deployed by meshing the at least one tooth of the leg with the at least one tooth of the socket (block  1412 ). By way of example, the protrusion  602  of the leg of the elevation system  202  is inserted into the socket  210  along a direction indicated by the arrow  1106  until a fully inserted position is achieved, such as the fully inserted position indicated by the illustrated example  900 . The protrusion  602  is then rotated within the socket  210  in the direction indicated by arrow  1002  until a rear mesh guard  618  of the protrusion&#39;s threading  612  prevents further rotation in the direction indicated by the arrow  1002 , at which point the leg of the elevation system  202  is fully deployed. Operation of block  1412  is repeated for each of a plurality of legs of the elevation system  202  until each of the plurality of legs have been deployed, at which point the elevation system  202  for the portable cutting apparatus is fully deployed. 
     CONCLUSION 
     Although aspects of a portable cutting apparatus have been described in language specific to structural features and/or methods, it is to be understood that the appended claims are not necessarily limited to the specific features or methods described. Rather, the specific features and methods are disclosed as example implementations of a portable cutting apparatus. Further, various different examples are described, and it is to be appreciated that each described example can be implemented independently or in connection with one or more other described examples.