Patent Publication Number: US-2007108087-A1

Title: Storage caddy for food processor

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/724,590 filed on Oct. 7, 2005, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to a blade and disk holder. More particularly, the present invention relates to a storage caddy that can safely store a variety of blades for a food processor.  
      2. Description of Related Art  
      It is known to provide electric food processors that come with a variety of blades for completing such tasks as chopping, shredding and slicing. These blades are very sharp and the consumer must exercise care when handling them to prevent injury to themselves.  
      Inherent shortcomings associated with many food processors are that they do not provide a way to store the blades so that they are not damaged and not left out in the open so that an injury may occur while retrieving or storing the attachments. In addition, the variety of blades can take up valuable counter or drawer space. Thus, there is a need for an accessory that allows one to store a variety of blades in a manner that is safe to a user and protects the blades from damage as well. In addition, there is a need to store these blades in a way that does not take up valuable counter or drawer space.  
     OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      It is an object of the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art mentioned above. These and other objects are achieved by the present invention described herein.  
      The present invention achieves these and other objectives by providing a storage caddy that can safely store a variety of blades for a food processor. The storage caddy includes a housing and a handle to enable easy transport of the storage caddy. The housing can include a top portion, a middle portion, and a bottom portion. The top portion preferably includes a latch to keep the top portion closed. A first lever can be used to open the top portion from the middle portion, so that the accessories in the middle portion can be accessed. A second lever can be used to open the middle portion from the bottom portion, so that the accessories in the bottom portion can be accessed.  
      Within these portions can be various cutouts or grooves that can hold various food processor accessories, such as blades, disks or stem holders. In a preferred embodiment, a circular opening can be located on the bottom of the storage caddy. This opening can enable the entire storage caddy to be placed within a food processor for storage purposes. The opening at the bottom of the storage caddy can be placed over the drive shaft of a food processor and the food processor can then be closed with the storage caddy inside. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The present invention is more fully understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment with the drawings identified below.  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a storage caddy for a food processor in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 2  is a partially exploded perspective view of the storage caddy for a food processor of  FIG. 1 , showing different illustrative aspects thereof.  
       FIG. 3  is a rear perspective view of the storage caddy for a food processor of  FIG. 1  in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 4  is a partially exploded perspective view of the storage caddy for a food processor of  FIG. 1 , showing the middle portion open.  
       FIG. 5  is a partially exploded perspective view of the storage caddy for a food processor of  FIG. 1 , showing the bottom portion open.  
       FIG. 6  is a bottom perspective view of the storage caddy for a food processor of  FIG. 1  in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      Referring to  FIG. 1 , a storage caddy for a food processor in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention is shown and generally represented by reference numeral  10 . The storage caddy  10  includes a housing  12  and a handle  14  to enable easy transport of the storage caddy  10 . In a preferred embodiment, the housing can include a top portion  16 , a middle portion  18 , and a bottom portion  20 . The handle  14  can be secured to the top portion  16  of the housing  12  by one or more protrusion  15  attached to the top portion  16 .  
      The top portion  16  preferably includes a latch  22  to keep the top portion  16  closed. This will enable the storage caddy  10  to securely hold food processor disks. As shown in  FIG. 2 , this latch  22  can be opened by pulling the top area  24  of the latch away from the top portion  16  of the housing  12 . This enables a user to access any disks that may be held in the top portion  16  of the storage caddy  10 . In one example, the storage caddy can hold a slicing disk  26  and a shredding disk  28 . By opening the latch  22 , a user can access these disks  26 ,  28  and pull them from the top portion  16  of the storage caddy  10  for use in a food processor (not shown). A user can then replace the latch  22  by pushing the top area  24  of the latch to clasp against the top portion  16  of the housing  12 .  
       FIG. 3  shows the back of the storage caddy  10 . A housing support  38  is located on the back of the storage caddy  10 . At the bottom  40  of the support  38  is a hinge (not shown) about which the support  38  can rotate when the top portion  16  is opened. The housing support  38  preferably has a flat profile. This enables the top portion  16  to rest flat against a table or counter top so that the disks  26 ,  28  will not fall out when the top portion  16  is open.  
       FIG. 4  shows the storage caddy  10  with the top portion  16  in an open position. To open the top portion, a first lever  30  is depressed. In a preferred embodiment, the depression of the first lever  30  rotates a first clasp  32  until the clasp clears a first hook  34  located on the bottom side  36  of the top portion  16  of the housing  12 . When the first lever  30  is not depressed, the top portion  16  cannot be opened since the first hook  34  cannot clear the first clasp  32 . When the lever  30  is depressed, the first clasp  32  is rotated away from the first hook  34  so that the first hook is unobstructed. The top portion  16  can then be opened.  
      Within the middle portion  18  of the housing  12 , there can be located several cutout or groove portions to hold various food processor accessories. For example, there can be a first cutout portion  42  that can hold a dough blade  44  for bread. The middle portion  18  can have a second cutout portion  46  that can hold a stem holder  50 . This stem holder  50  can be attached to the disks  26 ,  28  so that they may be connected to a drive shaft (not shown) of a food processor.  
       FIG. 5  shows the storage caddy  10  with the bottom portion  20  in an accessible position. To access the bottom portion  20 , a second lever  52  is depressed. In a manner similar to the first lever  30 , the depression of the second lever  52  rotates a second clasp  54  until the clasp clears a second hook  55  located within the housing  12 . When the second lever  54  is not depressed, the bottom portion  20  cannot be accessed since the second hook cannot clear the second clasp  54 . When the second lever  52  is depressed, the second clasp  54  is rotated away from the second hook  55  so that the second hook is unobstructed. The top  16  and middle  18  portions can then be rotated simultaneously about a hinge and the bottom portion  20  can be accessed.  
      To assist with the opening, a tab  60  and post  62  can be provided. Preferably, the tab  60  can be spring biased in the upward position. When the second lever  52  is not depressed and the middle portion  18  is in full contact with the bottom portion  20 , the post  62  pushes against the tab  60 , pushing it down toward the bottom portion  20 . When the second lever  52  is depressed, the second clasp  54  is rotated away from the second hook  55  and the middle portion can be released from the bottom portion. The spring biased tab  60  pushes up against the post  62  and the middle portion  18  of the housing  12 . This assists in ensuring that the second clasp  54  does not re-engage the second hook  55  should the second lever  52  be released before the middle portion  18  is lifted from the bottom portion  20 . This can also assist in preventing the middle portion  18  from being closed back onto the bottom portion  20  with excessive force, possibly damaging the storage caddy  10 . Similar tab and post structure can also exist between the top portion  16  and middle portion  18 .  
      The bottom portion  20  can have a third cutout portion  56 . This cutout or groove can hold, for example, a chopping blade  58 . However, other types of blades and attachments may be provided in this bottom portion  20  or in other portions within the storage caddy  10 .  
      In a preferred embodiment, a circular opening  64  can be located on the bottom of the storage caddy  10 , as can be seen in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . This opening  64  can enable the entire storage caddy  10  to be placed within a food processor for storage purposes. The opening  64  at the bottom of the storage caddy  10  can be placed over the drive shaft (not shown) of a food processor and the food processor can then be closed with the storage caddy  10  inside. A congruent aperture  66  can be located at the bottom of the chopping blade  58 , so that the chopping blade does not obstruct the storage caddy  10  from being placed over the drive shaft.  
      While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been herein disclosed and described, it is understood that various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.