Patent Abstract:
A mandolin slicer having one or more safety features, including a food carrier having one or more guards to protect a user&#39;s hand and a food carrier delivery system that helps ensure uniform and predictable movement. The mandolin slicer also provides an ability to safely and effectively cut oversized, long, and awkwardly shaped food articles.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/748,092 filed Dec. 6, 2005, which application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The disclosed invention is generally related to the field of food preparation devices, and in particular to a novel food slicer with improved safety features and a method of using the improved slicer.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     There are numerous mandolin slicers in the market, but all present a substantial risk of injury to a hand of a user operating the slicer. Despite numerous mandolin slicers in the art, there is still a need for a slicer that will reduce the risk of injury and increase the safety for the user. Moreover, there is a need for a slicer that allows various sizes of food articles to be cut, such as oversized food articles or awkwardly shaped articles, while providing safety for the user.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     In one embodiment, a food carrier is coupled to a food carrier rail that runs along a length of the mandolin slicer. This carrier rail provides stability and uniform movement for the food carrier as the food carrier moves back and forth along the mandolin slicer. This stability and uniform movement also helps improve safety for the user.  
         [0007]     In one embodiment, the food carrier is rotatably coupled to the carrier rail on only one side, thus allowing the food carrier to rotate around a longitudinal axis of the carrier rail. This rotatable coupling allows the food carrier to be rotated away from the food deck of the mandolin slicer, thereby providing easy access to insert food or to fit oversized shaped food articles to be sliced onto the food deck. The food carrier can then be rotated back over the mandolin slicer and onto a portion of the food article to be sliced. In this way, the food can be easily placed on the food deck to be sliced by movement of the food carrier. Further, the size of the food article to be cut or sliced is not limited by the size of a volume inside the food carrier because the food carrier can be lifted and rotated up providing an even greater volume below for the food article.  
         [0008]     In an embodiment, a front portion of the food carrier is open so that portions of long food articles can fit underneath and be held by the food carrier during operation. Length of the food carrier therefore does not limit the length of the food article that can be cut by the mandolin slicer. Also described herein are new methods of using a mandolin slicer, which are made possible by one or more of the improvements provided in this disclosure.  
         [0009]     The mandolin slicer described herein can be used to safely cut many types of food in many different shapes and sizes. The food articles cut by the mandolin slicer may be any type of food that a user desires to slice or cut, including but not limited to fruit, vegetables, meat, and breads. Also, because of the unique features of this mandolin slicer, including but not limited to the improved food carrier and food carrier delivery system, the size and shape of the food to be cut is less of a limiting factor. The user can still safely operate the mandolin slicer even if the food to be cut or sliced is oversized or larger than the food carrier (such as a large non-uniform potato), long or extending outside the food carrier (such as a large carrot), or any shape (for example square, trapezoidal, circular, or oblong).  
         [0010]     In an embodiment, a user handle is also provided that is advantageously positioned on the food carrier so that a user&#39;s hand operating the mandolin slicer is not in proximity to a cutting mechanism of the slicer. The handle is positioned off to a side of the food deck of the mandolin slicer such that during operation of the slicer, the user&#39;s hand moves the handle back and forth in a plane that is not over the cutting mechanism of the slicer. This advantageous positioning of the food carrier handle helps ensure that the user&#39;s hand does not pass over the cutting mechanism, minimizing the risk of cuts to the user&#39;s hand.  
         [0011]     The improved food carrier also has, in an embodiment, a stop tab or stop-shelf over a bottom portion of the food carrier that helps prevent fingers of the user from coming in contact with the cutting mechanism while the food carrier is moved back and forth over the mandolin slicer. A user could potentially place one or more fingers on a back of the food carrier during operation. The stop tab extends out from the bottom portion of the food carrier providing a barrier between the cutting mechanism and a user&#39;s fingers that may be resting on the back of the food carrier. The stop tab thereby helps prevent the user&#39;s fingers from coming in contact with the cutting mechanism during operation as the food carrier passes over the cutting mechanism.  
         [0012]     The mandolin slicer thus has a food carrier delivery system that helps ensure uniform and predictable movement, while also providing an ability to safely and effectively cut oversized, long, and awkwardly shaped food articles. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]     The drawings discussed in the detailed description of this invention are described briefly as follows, in which:  
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a mandolin slicer according to an embodiment.  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a mandolin slicer according to an embodiment.  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a mandolin slicer according to an embodiment, with the cutting members removed.  
         [0017]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a mandolin slicer according to an embodiment, with the cutting members removed.  
         [0018]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a mandolin slicer according to an embodiment showing an underside of the slicer.  
         [0019]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a mandolin slicer according to an embodiment showing an underside of the slicer.  
         [0020]      FIG. 7  is a top view of a mandolin slicer according to an embodiment showing an underside of the slicer.  
         [0021]      FIG. 8  is a sectional side view of the mandolin slicer in  FIG. 7  taken along section A-A.  
         [0022]      FIG. 9  is a sectional side view of the mandolin slicer in  FIG. 7  taken along section A-A with the plunger raised and first food support surface moved.  
         [0023]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a mandolin slicer according to an embodiment with a food carrier rotated and a plunger displaced upwards, with the food carrier over a first food support surface.  
         [0024]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a mandolin slicer according to an embodiment with the food carrier rotated and a plunger displaced upwards, with the food carrier having been moved over cutting members.  
         [0025]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a mandolin slicer according to an embodiment with a food carrier rotated and a plunger displaced upwards, with the food carrier over a second food support surface.  
         [0026]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view of a mandolin slicer according to an embodiment with a food article in a food carrier and a plunger displaced upwards with the food carrier over a first food support surface.  
         [0027]      FIG. 14  is a perspective view of a mandolin slicer according to an embodiment with a food article in a food carrier and a plunger displaced upwards with the food carrier and food article moved over the cutting members and a food slice is below the mandolin slicer.  
         [0028]      FIG. 15  is a perspective view of a mandolin slicer according to an embodiment with a food article in a food carrier and a plunger displaced upwards, with the food carrier over a second food support surface and a food slice is below the mandolin slicer.  
         [0029]      FIG. 16  is a perspective view of a mandolin slicer according to an embodiment with a long food article in a food carrier rotated and a plunger displaced upwards with the food carrier over a first food support surface.  
         [0030]      FIG. 17  is a perspective view of a mandolin slicer according to an embodiment with an oversized food article in a food carrier and a plunger displaced upwards with the food carrier over a first food support surface. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0031]     A mandolin slicer  20  according to embodiments of the invention is shown and described with reference to  FIGS. 1-17 . As used herein, the term mandolin broadly refers to a food cutter or slicer, and the terms cutter, cut, slicer, and slice are used to broadly refer to removing a piece from a larger whole; no particular shape or consistency of the piece removed should be inferred by the terms. The mandolin slicer  20  can be made of any appropriate material, including but not limited to one or more of the following: metal, plastic, wood, or composition.  
         [0032]      FIGS. 1-6  show perspective views of a mandolin slicer  20 . The mandolin slicer  20  includes a frame  22  that has a front rail  24  (also called a first frame member) and a back rail  26  (also called a second frame member), where the rails  24  and  26  are opposing and substantially parallel. Each rail  24  and  26  has an elongated body that transverses the mandolin slicer  20 , terminating at a distal end  28  of the mandolin slicer  20 .  
         [0033]     At the distal end  28 , the rails  24  and  26  are formed into a pair of feet  30  that support the distal end  28  of the mandolin slicer  20 . At a proximate end  32  of the mandolin slicer  20 , the rails  24  and  26  terminate and are coupled to a pair of legs  34 .  
         [0034]     Extending between the legs  34  and coupled to each leg  34  is a stabilizing bar  35 . The stabilizing bar  35  also provides a gripping point for a user to hold and stabilize the mandolin slicer  20  in place when in use. Each of the legs  34  are coupled with a hinge or pivot to the rails and thus configured to fold under the mandolin slicer  20  for storage.  
         [0035]     In an embodiment, the feet  30  are shorter than the legs  34  so that the mandolin slicer  20  is arranged at a downward angle. Also, the feet  30  and legs  34  can cooperate to stand the mandolin slicer  20  above a container (not pictured).  
         [0036]     Disposed between and coupled to the rails  24  and  26  is a food deck  36  having a first food support surface  38  (also called a first food deck) at the proximate end  32  of the mandolin slicer  20  and a second food support surface  40  (also called a second food deck) at the distal end  28  of the mandolin slicer  20 . The first and second food support surfaces  38  and  40  are generally rectangular in shape with substantially equal widths, fitting between and coupling to the rails  24  and  26  to form a substantially rigid body. In alternative embodiments, the first and second food support surfaces  38  and  40  can be any combination of shapes or widths, for example trapezoidal or circular with substantially different widths configured to work cooperatively to slice or cut food. Moreover, the food deck can have more than the first and second food support surfaces  38  and  40 ; for example multiple food support surfaces can be configured in series or parallel to cooperatively slice or cut food.  
         [0037]     In embodiments, the rails  24  and  26  are also coupled together by support members  41  (shown for example in  FIGS. 5 and 6 ) that extend across the distance between the rails  24  and  26 . The support members  41  are located beneath and provide support for at least a portion of the first and second food support surfaces  38  and  40 .  
         [0038]     In an embodiment, the first and second food support surfaces  38  and  40  each have a plurality of longitudinal parallel guide ribs  42  formed thereupon that are raised and configured to allow a piece of food to easily slide along the guide ribs  42  and first and second food support surfaces  38  and  40 . The first and second food support surfaces  38  and  40  can be provided with a low friction coating, such as Teflon®, to reduce sticking of food on the support surfaces  38  and  40 .  
         [0039]     The mandolin slicer  20  has a cutting member  44  that is removably fixed between the rails  24  and  26  and is positioned between the first and second food support surfaces  38  and  40 . Referring to  FIGS. 1-4 , in an embodiment, the cutting member  44  is a substantially flat blade having a substantially straight non-sharpened end  46  and a substantially convex cutting edge  48  (also called a sharpened end). Coupled to a side portion of the cutting member  44  is a blade handle  50  configured to allow a user to hold the cutting member  44  by the blade handle  50  and insert the cutting member  44  into the mandolin slicer  20 .  
         [0040]     In an embodiment, the front rail  24  has a blade receiving opening  52  that is configured to receive the cutting member  44 . The blade receiving opening  52  is disposed on the front rail  24  between the first and second food support surfaces  38  and  40  and is positioned so that when the cutting member  44  is placed within the blade receiving opening  52 , the cutting member  44  is substantially co-planar with at least the second food support surface  40 . The blade receiving opening  52  has a width and depth that is approximately equal to a width and depth of the cutting member  44  so that the blade receiving opening  52  can receive and hold the cutting member  44  and hold it in place (shown for example in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ). In some embodiments, when the cutting member  44  is placed within the blade receiving opening  52 , the cutting edge  48  is proximate a trailing edge  54  of the first food support surface  38  and the non-sharpened end  46  is proximate the second food support surface  40 .  
         [0041]     In some embodiments, to help stabilize the cutting member  44  when it is positioned within the blade receiving opening  52 , the back rail  26  has a ledge  56  (shown for example in  FIG. 4 ) cut into an inside portion, where the ledge  56  is configured to receive a tapered edge  58  of the cutting member  44 . Thus, the cutting member  44  is supported on the tapered edge  58  by the back rail  26  and the other edge of the cutting member  44  at the blade handle  50  is supported by the blade receiving opening  52  of the front rail  24 . The blade receiving opening  52  and the ledge  56  are substantially aligned so that the cutting member  44  is substantially co-planar with the second food support surface  40  when inserted into the mandolin slicer  20 .  
         [0042]     In another embodiment, the cutting member  44  is supported in part by a tapered ledge  59  (shown for example in  FIGS. 3 and 4 ) formed on the second food support surface  40 . In this embodiment, the tapered ledge  59  is a portion of second food support surface  40  that is in a plane below and parallel to the rest of the second food support surface  40 . The tapered ledge  59  is also proximate to and below the blade receiving opening  52  so that at least a portion of the cutting member  44  is supported by the tapered ledge  59  when the cutting member  44  is inserted into the blade receiving opening  52 . Thus, either ledge  56  or ledge  59  can be provided, or both.  
         [0043]     In embodiments, the mandolin slicer  20  has a second cutting member  60  (shown for example in  FIGS. 3 and 4 ) that is removably fixed between the rails  24  and  26  and is positioned between the first and second food support surfaces  38  and  40 . In an embodiment, the second cutting member  60  is between the first food support surface  38  and the cutting edge  48  of the cutting member  44 . The second cutting member  60  has a plurality of blades  62  that cooperate with the cutting member  44  to slice an article of food that is passed over the blades  62  and cutting member  44 . In an embodiment, the second cutting member  60  has an elongated curved body portion  64  with the plurality of blades  62  vertically disposed and parallel to one another on an upper surface  66  of the second cutting member  60 . On one end of the elongated curved body portion  64  is a second cutting member handle  68  configured to allow a user to insert the second cutting member  60  into the mandolin slicer  20 . In embodiments, the second cutting member  60  is a julienne slicer with a plurality of blades that can be spaced apart by ⅛, ¼, or ½ inch.  
         [0044]     In embodiments, the mandolin slicer  20  has a second cutting member receiver  70  (shown for example in  FIGS. 4-6 ) disposed between and attached at both ends to the front and back rails  24  and  26 . The second cutting member receiver  70  has an elongated curved body portion in a U-shape that is configured to hold and support the second cutting member  60 . In embodiments, the second cutting member receiver  70  is disposed in a plane beneath the beneath first and second food support surfaces  38  and  40  and is configured such that the upper surface  66  of the second cutting member  60  is co-planar with at least the cutting member  44  and the second food support surface  40  when inserted into the second cutting member receiver  70 . In an embodiment, the back rail  26  has an opening  72  (shown for example in  FIGS. 3 and 4 ) that leads to the second cutting member receiver  70  and is configured to receive the second cutting member  60  when a user places it into the mandolin slicer  20 .  
         [0045]     In embodiments, the cutting member  44  or the second cutting member  60  may be used alone or in combination. For example, the mandolin cutter  20  can be used with only cutting member  44 , only with cutting member  60 , or with both cutting members  44  and  60 . Moreover, the mandolin cutter  20  can be configured to only offer one or the other cutting members  44  and  60 , or multiples of the same cutting member  44  or  60 . For example, an embodiment can have a series of three or four food support surfaces with a single or multiple cutting members  44  and/or  60  between one or more sets of food support surfaces.  
         [0046]     The blades used in the figures are exemplary and can be substituted with any number of blades or cutting utensils depending on the desired cut of the food article. For example, blades may be used in the cutting member  44  or the second cutting member  60  that are horizontal, vertical, curved, straight, thin, thick, raised, flat, v-shaped, trapezoidal-shaped, or a variety of other shapes and thicknesses that are well-known in the art. Also, the cutting members  44  and  60  being removably coupled to the mandolin slicer  20  in a way that the cutting members  44  and  60  are easily slide in and out of the mandolin slicer  20 , the cutting members  40  and  60  are able to be quickly and conveniently removed and cleaned after each use, and can be easily removed from the mandolin slicer  20  for sharpening and maintenance, thereby adding to the long-term performance of the mandolin slicer  20 .  
         [0047]     By having cutting mechanisms  44  and  60  that can be easily maintained, the safety of the mandolin slicer  20  is improved because a user can insure that a clean, sharpened blade is being used and that the performance of the mandolin slicer  20  is maximized. In embodiments, one or more of the cutting mechanisms  44  and  60  can be stationary blades, or, in other embodiment, the cutting mechanisms  44  and can be rotating, moving, or mechanically driven blades.  
         [0048]     Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the mandolin slicer  20  is also provided in embodiments with a slicing thickness mechanism  74  that is configured to adjust a thickness of a slice taken from a food article that is passed across the cutting member  44  (shown for example in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ). In embodiments, the slicing thickness mechanism  74  has a camshaft  76  carrying a cam  78 . In an embodiment, the camshaft carries a plurality of cams  78  and the cams  78  are coupled together by a stability rod  79 .  
         [0049]     The camshaft  76  is coupled to an adjustment knob  80  that is configured to turn the camshaft  76  and the cam  78 . The adjustment knob  80  is provided to permit infinite adjustment of the slicing thickness between about zero and about one-half inch. In other embodiments, the slicing thickness is between about zero and about one inch. In embodiments, the adjustment knob  80  is located proximate an outer portion of the back rail  26  with an end portion of the camshaft  76  passing through an opening in the back rail  26  and coupling to the adjustment knob  80 . An opposite end of the camshaft  76  passes through an opening in the front rail  24  and is coupled to a holding bit  82  on the outside of the opening in the front rail  24 .  
         [0050]     In an embodiment, the slicing thickness mechanism  74  can be used to provide structural stability for the mandolin slicer  20 . For example, the camshaft  76 , adjustment knob  80  and holding bit  82  can be configured with the frame  22  such that when the holding bit  82  is tightened, the rails  24  and  26  are forced against at least the first food support surface  38 , thereby providing a holding force to help keep the first food support surface  38  in the position selected with the slicing thickness mechanism  74  (i.e., cam  78  position selected with the adjustment knob  80 ). The holding bit  82  may also be loosened to allow the forward end  84  of the first food support surface  38  to move up and down, and then the holding bit  82  can be tightened again to help hold the first food support surface  38  in place and to provide structural stability to the mandolin slicer  20  during use.  
         [0051]     In an embodiment, the camshaft  76  is positioned under a forward end  84  of the first food support surface  38  proximate the cutting member  44 . In this embodiment, the forward end  84  of the first food support surface  38  is free to move up and down with the cam  78  providing a lower limit for movement, and a rearward end  85  of the first food support surface  38  is rotatably coupled to the frame  22  at the proximate end  32  of the mandolin slicer  20 . Support for the first food support surface  38  is provided then at the rearward end  85  by the rotatable coupling to the frame  22  and support member  41  at the proximate end  32  of the mandolin slicer  20 , and at the forward end  84  of the first food support surface  38  by the camshaft  76  and cam  78  where gravity and a user exerting downward force on the first food support surface  38  during use presses the forward end  84  down on the cam  78 . Thus, a user can adjust the vertical spacing between the trailing edge  54  of the first food support surface  38  and the cutting edge  48  of the cutting member  44  by rotating the adjustment knob  80 , thereby moving the forward end  84  of the first food support surface  38  up or down.  
         [0052]     In alternative embodiments, multiple camshafts  76  can be provided. For example one camshaft  76  can be under the first food support surface  38  and another camshaft  76  can be under the second food support surface  40 . In this embodiment, the vertical distance between both the first and second food support surfaces  38  and  40  can be varied with respect to the cutting members  44  and  60 , where the cutting members  44  and  60  are configured to be able to cut food in either direction as food is passed over the cutting members  44  and  60 .  
         [0053]     With reference to  FIGS. 7-9 , when the adjustment knob  80  is rotated, the camshaft  76  and cam  78  are rotated because they are in mechanical communication with the adjustment knob  80 . Thus, when the adjustment knob  80  is rotated, the cam  78  pushes onto the forward end  84  of the first food support surface  38 , thereby causing an angle to change between the first food support surface  38  relative to the cutting member  44 . The change in angle with respect to the first food support surface  38  and the cutting member  44  can be selected to improve the feeding action and slicing of a food article passed across the cutting member  44 , and to reduce drag and sticking of the food article on the first and second food support surfaces  38  and  40  or the cutting member  44 .  
         [0054]     In some embodiments, the angle with respect to the first food support surface  38  and the cutting member  44  will only change slightly, with a difference of about zero to ten degrees in a half-revolution of the adjustment knob  80  and cam  78 . In embodiments, the angle change will produce a difference in slicing thickness of about between about zero and about half an inch in a complete revolution of the adjustment knob  80  and cam  78 . For example, if the cam  78  is in position  1  (shown in  FIG. 8 ), a first angle is formed between the first food support surface  38  and the cutting member  44 . When the cam  78  is in position  2  (shown in  FIG. 9 ), a second angle is formed between the first food support surface  38  and the cutting member  44 , in which the second angle is greater than the first angle. Because the second angle is greater than the first angle, when a food article is slid across the first food support surface  38  and the cutting member  44 , the slice of food created thereby is greater than it would be with the first angle. In embodiments, the first food support surface  38  and the cutting member  44  lie in substantially parallel planes and the vertical distance may vary in the vertical dimension with the first food support surface  38  and the cutting member  44  still remaining in substantially parallel planes. In embodiments, the first food support surface  38  and the cutting member  44  can be substantially coplanar. In other embodiments, the first food support surface  38  may be configured with a slicing thickness mechanism that has a plurality of adjustment knobs  80  coupled to a plurality of camshafts  76  disposed along the underside of the first food support surface  38  so that the entire length of the first food support surface  38  may be raised or lowered together. In these embodiments, the first food support surface  38  is coupled to the front and back rails  24  and  26  such that the first food support surface  38  may move up and down as a unit.  
         [0055]     In embodiments, the camshaft  76  and cam  78  are located at a selected distance away from the rotatable coupling of the rearward end  85  of the first food support surface  38  near the cutting member  44  since a greater distance provides increased sensitively in adjustment of the slicing thickness mechanism  74  and the angle change between the first food support surface  38  relative to the cutting member  44 , and better user control for finer vertical spacing through adjustment of the adjustment knob  80 .  
         [0056]     Referring to  FIGS. 7-15 , in embodiments a carrier rail  86  (also called a food carrier rail) is provided along one side of the mandolin slicer  20 . In embodiments, the carrier rail  86  is coupled to the back rail  26  and extends transversely along the elongated body of the back rail  26 . For example, the carrier rail  86  extends along and substantially in a plane parallel with the first and second food support surfaces  38  and  40  and the cutting member  44 . The carrier rail  86  can also be co-planar with or disposed in a plane above or below a plane of the first or second food support surfaces  38  and  40  or the cutting member  44 . In embodiments, the carrier rail  86  is made of stainless steel tubing and is rigidly affixed to the back rail  26  by fasteners  88 . In other embodiments, the carrier rail  86  is an integral portion of one of the food support surfaces  38  and  40  or of the rails  24  and  26 .  
         [0057]     A food carrier  90  is coupled to the carrier rail  86 . The food carrier  90  is slidable along the carrier rail  86  between a first position over the first food support surface  38 , the first position near the proximate end  32  of the mandolin slicer  20 , and a second position over the second food support surface  40 , the second position near the distal end of the mandolin slicer  20 . In embodiments, the food carrier is coupled to the carrier rail  86  via circular couplings  92  that encircle the carrier rail  86 . The food carrier  90  can be coupled to the carrier rail  86 , for example, via linear bearings to provide a smooth sliding motion along the carrier rail  86 . Alternatively, bushings, such as of bronze or Teflon® may be employed instead of the bearings. The food carrier  90  may be permanently attached to the carrier rail  86  or may be removably attached for cleaning and maintenance.  
         [0058]     The food carrier  90  is also rotatably coupled to the carrier rail  86  (shown for example in  FIGS. 10-12 ) such that the food carrier  90  can be rotated around a longitudinal axis  94  of the carrier rail  86 . This rotatable coupling of the food carrier  90  to the carrier rail  86  is accomplished by the circular couplings  92 . Other fasteners may be used to couple the food carrier  90  to the carrier rail  86  as long as the fasteners allow the food carrier  90  to transversely slide along the carrier rail  86  and to rotate around the longitudinal axis  94  of the carrier rail  86 .  
         [0059]     In embodiments, the food carrier  90  can be provided with a locking mechanism  95  (shown for example in  FIG. 7 ) such that, when lifted and twisted to a selected angle, the food carrier  90  can be locked in the lifted position by the locking mechanism  95  with the food carrier  90  still able to be slid along the carrier rail  86 . In an embodiment, the locking mechanism  95  is part of one or more of the circular couplings  92 . In an embodiment, the locking mechanism  95  is a détente stop.  
         [0060]     The food carrier  90  has a housing  96  that is generally trapezoidal defining a housing space  97  therein. The food carrier  90  has generally rectangular opposing side walls  98  and  100  that can be configured to rest upon any combination of the first and second food support surfaces  38  and  40  and/or the front and back rails  24  and  26 . In one embodiment, the food carrier  90  is configured with the side wall  98  that can rest upon the front rail  24  and the opposing side wall  100  that is coupled to the circular couplings  92  that are attached to the carrier rail  86 . In this embodiment, the opposing side wall  100  does not directly rest on the food support surfaces  38  and  40  or the rails  24  and  26  because it is supported by the carrier rail  86 . In other embodiments, the opposing side wall  100  can rest on one or more of the food support surfaces  38  and  40  or the rails  24  and  26 .  
         [0061]     The food carrier  90  also has a generally rectangular back wall  102  and a substantially open front portion  104 , where the back wall  102  faces the proximate end  32  of the mandolin slicer  20  and the front portion  104  faces the distal end  28  of the mandolin slicer  28 . The front portion  104  of the food carrier  90  is open to allow a food article inside the food carrier  90  to stick out. This is advantageous for food articles that have a length dimension that is greater than a length of the food carrier  90  housing  96 . In alternative embodiments, the front portion  104  has a wall portion. In other embodiments, the housing  96  of the food carrier  90  can be any shape that is configured to move a food article along the first and second food support surfaces  38  and  40  and over the cutting members  44  and  60 .  
         [0062]     A handle  106  is coupled to the food carrier  90  to permit a user to move the food carrier  90  along the mandolin slicer  20 , including over the first and second food support surfaces  38  and  40  and the cutting members  44  and  60 . A user can also use the handle  106  to lift and rotate the food carrier  90  around the longitudinal axis  94  of the carrier rail  86 . Rotating the food carrier  90  is advantageous because it allows a user to place an oversized food article on the mandolin slicer  20  underneath a portion of the food carrier  90  that would not otherwise fit within the space  97  in the housing  96  of the food carrier  90 .  
         [0063]     The handle  106  is also advantageously coupled to the side wall  98 , where the handle  106  extends out from the food carrier  90 . When the food carrier  90  is resting on the mandolin slicer  20 , such as when the side wall  98  is resting on the front rail  24 , the handle  106  extends out in a plane perpendicular to the side wall  98 . This advantageous placement of the handle  106  provides safety for a user operating the mandolin slicer  20  because the handle substantially operates and moves back in forth in a plane that does not intersect with the cutting members  44  and  60 . This minimizes the chances of a user cutting their hand on the cutting members  44  and  60 . In embodiments, the handle  106  is shaped substantially like a ball. Other embodiments of the handle  106  can have any desirable shape, such as an ergonomic curved shape or a shape having an elongated portion with spaces curved out for fingers to wrap around.  
         [0064]     In embodiments, back wall  102  of the food carrier  90  is configured with a stop tab  108  that extends out from a lower portion of the back wall  102  in a plane perpendicular from the back wall  102 . The stop tab  108  is designed to help prevent or discourage a user from putting their hand or fingers on the first or second food support surfaces  38  and  40  when operating the mandolin slicer  20 . This helps further prevent a user accidentally cutting their hand or fingers on the cutting members  44  and  60  while moving the food carrier  90  and cutting food. In embodiments, the stop tab  108  forms the lowermost portion of the back wall  102  and is disposed high enough above the first or second food support surfaces  38  and  40  when the food carrier  90  is in a fully down position, for example when the side wall  98  is resting on the front rail  24  in certain embodiments, that the stop tab  108  does not contact the cutting members  44  and  60  when the food carrier  90  passes over the cutting members  44  and  60 .  
         [0065]     The food carrier  90  is equipped with a plunger  110  having an elongated portion  112  extending inside the housing  96 . In embodiments, the plunger  110  is a glass filled nylon spike. In embodiments, the plunger  110  is made of plastic so that if the plunger  110  happens to come in contact with the cutting members  44  and  60  during operation of the mandolin slicer  20 , damage to the cutting members  44  and  60  is minimized. In other embodiments, the plunger  110  is mode of any desirable material, including metal or polymer.  
         [0066]     The elongated portion  112  includes an upper portion that is configured to pass through an opening  114  on a top cover  116  of the food carrier  90 , and the elongated portion  112  has a bottom portion ending at a plunger pad  118  opposite the top cover  116  of the food carrier  90 . The plunger pad  118  has a generally flat bottom surface with a plurality of gripping points  120 , the gripping points  120  having a generally pointed end configured to press into a food article when the plunger pad  118  is placed on the food article. The elongated portion  112  of the plunger is configured to have at least a portion of its length slidably pass through the opening  114  in the top cover  116 . A top portion of the elongated portion  112  is removably coupled to a plunger cap  122 , where the plunger cap  122  is above the top cover  116  of the food carrier  90 .  
         [0067]     The plunger  110  is also configured in embodiments with a spring  124  that wraps around the elongated portion  112  of the plunger  110 . One end of the spring  124  presses against an inside surface of the top cover  116  of the housing  96  and the other end of the spring  124  presses against the plunger pad  118 , thereby pressing and biasing the plunger pad  118  in the downward direction towards the first and second food support surfaces  38  and  40 . The downward bias of the spring  124  on the plunger pad  118  is designed to put a downward force on a food article that is underneath the plunger pad  118 . The spring  124  can be selected to provide a desirable force to hold the food article firmly on the first and second food support surfaces  38  and  40  as the food carrier  90  is slid along the carrier rail  86  and to maintain the hold as the food article thins with each successive slice across the cutting members  44  and  60 .  
         [0068]     In embodiments, the spring  124  may be removed from the plunger  110  by removing the plunger cap  122 , removing the plunger  110  from the food carrier  90 , and sliding the spring  124  off of the elongated portion  112  of the plunger  112 . A user may then put the plunger  112  back into the food carrier  90  and recouple the plunger cap  122  to the elongated portion  112  of the plunger  112 . When the spring  124  is removed from the plunger  112 , a downward force can be exerted on a food article in the food carrier  90  by either the weight of the plunger  112  and plunger pad  118  pressing down on the food article or a force from a user pushing down on the plunger  112 , such as a user pushing down on the plunger cap  122  from the top of the food carrier  90 . A user may also apply this additional force in embodiments having a spring  124 , where the user can apply additional pressure on a food article by pressing down on the plunger  112  via the plunger cap  122 .  
         [0069]     With reference to  FIGS. 13-17 , an exemplary embodiment, operation of the mandolin slicer  20  is shown. A user operates the mandolin slicer  20  by gripping the handle  106  and rotating the food carrier  90  away from the food support surfaces  38  and  40  (shown for example in  FIG. 10 ). A user then places a food article  126  to be sliced, for example a potato as depicted in  FIGS. 13-15 , on the first food support surface  38  and rotates the food carrier  90  over the food article allowing the plunger pad  118  and gripping points  120  to press down on the food article  126 . The food carrier  90  then rests on the rail  24  and over the first food support surface  38 , shown for example in  FIG. 13 .  
         [0070]     The user then grips the handle  106  with one hand and grips the stabilizing handle  35  with the other hand and slides the food carrier  90  towards the cutting members  44  and  60  and the second food support surface  40 , thereby passing the food article across the cutting members  44  and  60 , shown for example in  FIG. 14 . Gripping the stabilizing bar  35  allows a user to substantially prevent the mandolin slicer  20  from moving as the food carriage  90  is moved back and forth. As the food article passes over the cutting edge  48  of the cutting member  40  going towards the second food support surface  40 , a slice  132  is removed from the food article at the thickness set by the slicing thickness mechanism  74 . The slice  132  is deposited below the mandolin slicer  20 , where it can fall into a receptacle (not shown).  
         [0071]     After the food carrier  90  is passed over the cutting member  44  and  60 , the user moves the food carrier  90  to the distal end  28  of the slicer  20  and over the second food support surface  40 , shown for example in  FIG. 15 . The user can then return the food carrier  90  back to the starting point at the proximate end  32  of the slicer where the food carrier  90  is over the first food support surface  38 . The user can repeat the movement, sliding the food carrier  90  back and forth across the first and second food support surfaces  38  and  40 , thereby slicing the food article  126  with the cutting members  44  and  60 .  
         [0072]     The food carrier  90  is a significant improvement over the prior art, not only because of its significant and novel safety features, also because it easily and safely cuts a long food article  128  (shown for example in  FIG. 16 ) and an oversized food article  130  (shown for example in  FIG. 17 ). A long food article  128 , for example a cucumber as depicted in  FIG. 16 , extends outside the food carrier  90 . The front portion  104  of the food carrier  90  is open so that a portion of the long food article  128  can fit underneath and be held by the food carrier  90  and plunger pad  118  during operation.  
         [0073]     An oversized food article  130 , for example a large potato as depicted in  FIG. 17 , has a height greater than a height of the food carrier  90  such that when the food carrier  90  rests on top of the food article, the side wall  98  of the food carrier  90  is not able to rest on the front rail  24 . The oversized food article  130  is still held in place, however, by the food carrier  90 .  
         [0074]     A user can rotate the food carrier  90  away from the food support surfaces  38  and  40  and place the long or oversized food articles  128  and  130  on the first food support surface  38 . The user then can rotate the food carrier  90  over the long or oversized food articles  128  and  130  allowing the plunger pad  118  and gripping points  120  to press down on against a corner or side portion of the long or oversized food articles  128  and  130 , exerting a downward pressure on the long or oversized food articles  128  and  130  and holding it against the first and second food support surfaces  38  and  40 . The user then grips the handle  106  with one hand and grips the stabilizing handle  35  with the other hand and slides the long or oversized food articles  128  and  130  with the food carrier  90  back and forth across the first and second food support surfaces  38  and  40 , thereby passing the long or oversized food articles  128  and  130  across the cutting members  44  and  60 , thereby cutting the long or oversized food articles  128  and  130  at a thickness set by the slicing thickness mechanism  74 .  
         [0075]     All of the above U.S. patents, U.S. patent application publications, U.S. patent applications, foreign patents, foreign patent applications and non-patent publications referred to in this specification and/or listed in the Application Data Sheet, are incorporated herein by reference, in their entirety.  
         [0076]     From the foregoing it will be appreciated that, although specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without deviating from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not limited except as by the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 8