Patent Abstract:
The present invention provides a kit ( 200 ) for producing a high quality sushi product with uniformity and at a high rate of production. The kit ( 200 ) includes a Nigir i Sushi mold ( 10, 110 ) and a California Sushi Roll apparatus ( 54, 154. ) In a preferred embodiment, the kit ( 200 ) includes a traditional Japanese bento box ( 18,20 ) that houses both the Nigiri Sushi mold ( 10, 110 ) and California Sushi Roll ( 54, 154. ) The Nigiri Sushi mold ( 10, 110 ) is made up of a mold ( 12, 112 ) having several indentations ( 28, 128 ) for supporting the preferred ingredients. The Nigiri mold ( 12, 112 ) is joined with the plate ( 14, 114 ) and is placed in the bottom half of the Japanese bento box ( 18 ) to form the lower portion of the Sushi kit ( 200 ) of the present invention. The apparatus ( 54, 154 ) used to form the California Rolls sits atop an inverted Nigiri mold ( 12, 112 ) with plate ( 14, 114 ) and includes a roller sheet ( 56, 156 ) that is flexibly attached to a base plate ( 64, 164. )

Full Description:
CLAIM OF BENEFIT OF FILING DATE  
       [0001]    The present application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/334,228 filed Nov. 29, 2001. 
     
    
     
       TECHNICAL FIELD  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for making Nigiri Sushi and other Sushi products. More particularly, the present invention provides a kit including an improved molding apparatus and method of making Nigiri, square, rectangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, etc., as well as any polygonal design as well as Maki or California Rolls.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    In the traditional production and preparation of sushi products, such as Nigiri and Maki Sushi (hereinafter referred to as “Sushi Rolls”), a significant amount of time and effort is required. Nigiri are small ball or oval shaped forms of vinegared boiled rice topped with sliced fish, shellfish or other traditional toppings. The art of Nigiri is in the formation of the rice ball and more particularly, the proper compression of the rice to hold its shape during consumption. Once the rice ball is formed, the topping is added. Production rate and uniformity of the Sushi Roll in restaurant or other food facility requires experience, training, and skill which are all dependent upon the experienced of the chef. The present invention addresses these potential disadvantages of traditional sushi products by providing a method, apparatus, and kit for forming high quality Nigiri Sushi and Sushi Rolls which could be utilized in household, domestic, restaurant, food service, and food production environments.  
           [0004]    The Sushi Rolls are thin sheets of seaweed (nori) topped with a layer of vinegared boiled rice and a second layer of crab, fish, or vegetables or other traditional toppings. Traditionally, the nori, rice and toppings are then rolled by hand with a bamboo mat so as to tighten and consolidated the ingredients forming an elongate horizontal roll. The California Roll is then sliced vertically into smaller bite sized pieces. Like Nigiri, the art of the California Roll is forming a compact horizontal roll that will maintain its shape after cutting and during consumption. And like Nigiri, production rate and uniformity for environments such as a restaurant is generally slow even for the most experienced chef.  
         SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION  
         [0005]    The present invention provides a kit for producing a high quality sushi product with uniformity and at a high rate of production. The kit includes a Nigiri Sushi mold and a Sushi Roller apparatus. In a preferred embodiment, the kit may include a traditional Japanese bento box that houses both the Nigiri Sushi mold and the selected Sushi Roll. The Nigiri Sushi mold is made up of a mold having several indentations for supporting the preferred ingredients. Each indentation includes an opening at the lowest point or base of the indentation. The mold has rimmed upper area for receiving a plate. The plate is configured with funnels extending from a flat surface and an outer profile similar to the rimmed upper area of the mold. These funnels correspond to the indentations located on the lower mold. An elongated press is provided and is shaped at one end identical to the funnels of the plate and at the other end is shaped identical to the opening at the lowest point of the mold. The outer profiles of both ends of the press are slightly smaller than the openings intended for seating within the plate and mold.  
           [0006]    To form Nigiri Sushi, the Nigiri mold is placed on a level surface. A preferred topping is first place within the indentations of the mold. This is opposite the traditional method wherein the topping is placed after the rice ball has been formed. Next, the plate is seated within the mold and Wasabi is applied through various means, such as a tube, followed by vinegared rice being placed within the funnels. The funnel end of the press is used to press and compact the rice into the funnel and the indentations of the mold. The press or push tool may also be utilized by the user to achieve a desired amount of texture, consistency, or compactness of the sushi product The press and the funnel plate are then removed from the top of the mold. The mold is then rotated or turned upside down by the user which then allows gravity to displace the sushi product from the mold when the mold comes into contact with a level surface, such as a counter, assembly line, or food service station. Any remaining sushi product in the mold can then be removed with a press or push tool or instrument. For example, the opposite end of the press is used to gently remove the newly formed Nigiri Sushi from the indentations in the mold by inserting the press end into the openings provided in the bottom of the mold indentations. The Nigiri Sushi may then be served in the bento box, a sushi plate, or any other type of serving platform. Since the rice ball is rotated 180 degrees, the topping is now correctly located on top of the rice ball as tradition dictates.  
           [0007]    The apparatus used to form the Sushi Rolls sits atop an inverted Nigiri mold and includes a roller sheet comprising an integrated roller rod, a flexible sheet or material, such as silicone, and a stopper that is flexibly attached to a base plate. In a preferred embodiment, the roller is supported by the Nigiri mold inverted to form a level support surface. A rolling rod with a set of opposing handles may be removably attached to one end of the roller sheet. A stopper may be removably attached to the opposite end of the roller sheet and secures the roller sheet to the base plate.  
           [0008]    The California Roll is made by placing a sheet of seaweed on the silicone roller sheet between the rolling rod and the stopper within the edges of the inverted Nigiri mold. A layer of vinegared rice is spread to cover the seaweed. A layer of filling is added on top of the rice and preferably is spaced from the rolling rod. To successfully form the California Roll, the handles of the rolling rod are grasped and move the roller sheet toward the stopper. The roller rod is lifted and turned so that the flat surface of the rod is facing the selected filling. The flat surface (roller slip) is pushed against the filling using a forward motion by the user to push and compact the filling. An example of the rolling method allows a user to effectively form sushi products through a “reverse roll” method or process whereby the user initially manipulates the silicone in a counter-clockwise direction and then manipulates the roller rod in a clockwise direction thereby forming and moving the sushi product along the base plate and toward the user. Although it will be appreciated that the desired manipulation can be either in a clockwise or counter-clockwise motion, it should be seen that the desired technique, method, or process forces the ingredients to roll up forming an elongated cylinder. At the end of this “reverse roll” process, the sushi product itself will generally come into contact with the stopper, thereby positioning the roller slightly below the stopper. If the user continues to manipulate the roller in a clockwise direction, the circumference of the silicone around the roll will decrease in size thus compacting or compressing the rice and other filling to form the desired texture, consistency, and compactness of the desired sushi product. When the cylinder reaches the stopper, the rolling rod is brought back to its original position by the user. Once compacted, the California Roll is removed from the roller sheet and cut vertically into serving size pieces. The Japanese bento box top or inverted bottom may be used as a serving plate.  
           [0009]    These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description in combination with the accompanying drawings, which depict systems and components that can be used alone or in combination with each other in accordance with the present invention. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 illustrates an exploded perspective of the present invention.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 illustrates a top view of an alternative embodiment of a mold of the present invention.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the mold in FIG. 2.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4 illustrates a top view of an alternative embodiment of a plate of the present invention.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 5 illustrates a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of a mold of the present invention.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 6 illustrates an elevational view of a preferred embodiment of a press of the present invention.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 7 illustrates a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of a California Sushi Roll apparatus of the present invention.  
         [0017]    FIGS.  8 - 11  illustrate a method for making a California Sushi Roll with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0018]    FIGS.  12 - 13  illustrate a method for making Nigiri Sushi with a particularly preferred embodiment of a square-shaped Nigiri Sushi mold of the present invention.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 14 illustrates a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a California Sushi Roll apparatus of the present invention.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 15 illustrates an exploded view of a kit including the Sushi apparatus of the present invention.  
         [0021]    FIGS.  16  illustrates a particular preferred embodiment of the present invention consisting of an integrated roller unit having a generally rectangular shaped footplate.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 17 illustrates another view of the integrated roller unit of the present invention.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 18 illustrates yet another embodiment of the integrated roller unit depicting a half-moon shaped design. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0024]    Referring to FIGS.  1 - 6 , the present invention of a method and apparatus of preparing Nigiri Sushi is illustrated consisting of a Nigiri Sushi mold assembly  10 , for receiving rice, a selected portion of fish or other seafood item, vegetables, and selected seasonings (not shown.) It should be appreciated that the present invention can be utilized to form Sushi Rolls and other rolled food products using any type of food items or comestible materials selected by the user for human consumption. The Nigiri Sushi mold assembly  10  is configured with a mold  12 , a plate  14 , a press  16 , and, optionally, a box  18  with a removable lid  20 . In a first example of operation, box  18  would be used as storage unit for mold  12 , plate  14  and press  16 . In a second example of operation, a box  18  may be configured with regions configured to receive and serve the Nigiri Sushi.  
         [0025]    Referring now to FIGS.  2 - 6 , mold  12  of the Nigiri Sushi mold  12  is configured with a flat surface  20  and is substantially circular in shape. Preferably mold  12 , will be further configured with a lip  22  having an inwardly projecting male key  24 , and a supporting leg  26  (FIG. 3) both residing on the outer circumference of mold  12  which project perpendicularly away from flat surface  20 . Flat surface  20  is configured with at least one and, more preferably, a plurality of indentations  28  extending radially from the center portion  30  of mold  12 . The indentations  28  are supported in part by supporting surface  32  and wall  34  which substantially surrounds both the indentations  28  and the supporting surface  32 . The indentations  28  are further configured with an elliptical hole  36  positioned substantially at the center of the indentations  28 , which is substantially smaller in both shape and dimension than the indentations  28 .  
         [0026]    The number of indentations found in the assembly of the present invention would be consistent with the number and size of pieces or portions of individual Nigiri Sushi selected by the user to be served and consumed. However, it is foreseeable that the number of indentations, and orientation thereof, would vary at the point of sale or use and could further be configured in any number of sizing. For example, it is contemplated that the present invention could be commercialized as an individual serving size product, a family size product, a commercial size product for the large scale preparation of sushi such as in a restaurant, food service, or food manufacturing facility or any other size or shape that is desired by the consumer. Furthermore, it is foreseeable that the indentations found in the present invention may vary in size and shape as serving portions and comestible materials used to form the Sushi may vary according to taste, size of group, etc.  
         [0027]    Referring to FIGS.  3 - 5 , a plate  14  is configured with a flat surface  38  having an outer circumference similar in size and shape to the inner surface  40  of lip  22 . Plate  14  is further configured with an inwardly recessed female key  42  for receiving male key  24  causing mold  12  and plate  14  to become aligned. Plate  14  is yet further configured with a plurality of funnels  44  which extend radially from the center portion  46  of plate  14  which are in alignment with indentations  28 . Opposing finger holes  49  are provided along the outer circumference to aid in removing the plate  14  from the top of the mold  12  after the Nigiri Sushi has been formed.  
         [0028]    Referring specifically to FIGS. 3 and 5, when the plate  14  and mold  12  are in alignment and flush with each other, extending member  48  of funnel  44  partially resides in at least one of the indentations  28 . The shape and size of extending member  48  is substantially similar to that of the outer area of at least one of the indentations  28 .  
         [0029]    The number of funnels  42  may be equal to that of the number of indentations  28  of the mold  12 . However, it is foreseeable the number of funnels  42  are more or less than the number of indentations  28 . This may be preferable when it is desired to create mold  12  and plate  14  configurations to obtain a specific number of servings.  
         [0030]    Referring now to FIG. 6, other important features of the present invention include the use of a press  16  which is illustrated as having a first end  50  and a second end  52 . The first end  50  has a cross sectional shape substantially similar to that of the opening of funnel  44  such that the first end  50  can unobtrusively enter in and through funnel  44  and extending member  48 . The second end  52  has a cross sectional shape substantially similar to that of the elliptical hole  36  residing in the bottom of the indentations  28  such that the second end  52  can fit unobtrusively through elliptical hole  36 .  
       METHOD OF MAKING NIGIRI SUSHI OF THE PRESENT INVENTION  
       [0031]    The present invention also comprises a method of making Nigiri Sushi utilizing the apparatus and device described above. In a preferred embodiment of the methodology employed for making Nigiri Sushi, a Nigiri Sushi mold assembly  10  is used to combine selected ingredients (e.g. a fish portion, a seafood portion, rice, vegetables, selected seasonings, as well as any other type of comestible material consumed by humans) as well as any other ingredient or combination of ingredients typically used in the making of Nigiri Sushi.  
         [0032]    Referring to FIGS.  1 - 6 , the supporting leg  26  of the mold  12  is placed on a substantially flat surface such that the plurality of indentations  28  and elliptical hole  36  are fully exposed. The user then places the selected fish or seafood portion, typically found in Nigiri Sushi, in each of the indentations  28  of the mold and applies seasonings to the chosen portions. It is contemplated that the types of seafood or fish items that may be incorporated within Sushi, as well as the seasonings used in the making of Nigiri Sushi, are well known in the art and may vary between applications and the specific taste of the user or consumer. It may be desirous to omit all spices at this stage or only use spices at this stage depending upon taste or a customer&#39;s preferences.  
         [0033]    A plate  14  is placed over mold  12  and aligned through keys  24  and  42  as previously discussed. The plate is then substantially seated into the opening created by lip  22  and onto the flat surface  20  of the mold  12 . This results in the funnels  44  of the plate  14  being aligned with the indentations  28  of the mold  12 .  
         [0034]    Cooked rice is then placed within and partially through each of the funnels  44  and onto the fish portions residing in each of the indentations  28 . The rice is then packed further into the indentations  28  forming a semi-ball shaped mound. This is accomplished by inserting first end  50  of the press  16  through the funnel  44  opening and at least partially into the extending member  48  resulting in an applied force to the cooked rice. Once the rice residing in the indentations  28  is compressed to the desired amount the press  16  and plate  14  are removed from the open created by the lip  22  of mold  12 .  
         [0035]    The box  18 , which is configured to additionally be a serving tray, is positioned such that the serving surface is placed on top of the cooked rice and mold  12 . The mold and box  18  are simultaneously turned over and the second end  52  of the press  16  is inserted into elliptical hole  36  to aid in gently removing the sushi from the mold  12 . The mold  12  is then lifted out of the box  18  thus presenting the final product of the Nigiri Sushi arranged in the box  18 . This process is then repeated until the desired amount of Nigiri Sushi is created.  
         [0036]    In another embodiment of the Sushi Roll apparatus of the present invention, more fully shown and described in FIGS.  7 - 11 , a method and apparatus for molding and forming traditional sushi pieces, such as California Rolls is shown and described. More particularly, in this embodiment, a Sushi Roll Apparatus  54  is disclosed which utilizes a roller sheet  56  having an attached rod  58  with two ends or handles  60  used to physically roll and form the chosen food items into a piece of Sushi. In a particular preferred embodiment which has a number of manufacturing and marketing advantages, it is contemplated that this function can be achieved through the use of an integrated roller unit  220  which consists of a unitary or attached assembly of the roller sheet  256 , rod  258 , and a roller slip or securing strip  264 , which is a generally rectangular piece having a plurality of pegs  174  which engage with the openings  172  of the flexible material and into the holes or receptacles  161 . As shown in FIGS.  16 - 18 , the integrated roller unit embodiment utilizes a generally rectangular-shaped footplate having the plurality of pegs  174  in unitary engagement with the flexible material, such as a silicone sheet, and a rollstop. The pegs  174  engage with the openings  172  of the flexible material and into the holes or receptacles  161  (not shown) which aids in stabilizing the stopper. The roller unit further comprises a nonskid sole or under portion consisting of a rubber or other non-skid materials which further increases stability and reduces inadvertent or unwanted movement. This embodiment provides substantial timesaving in the making of properly formed and dimensioned sushi pieces by the user. In addition, these features may provide components which are more hygienic and easier to clean in food service, food preparation, or food manufacturing environments subject to health codes and regulations. For example, the rice and other materials may be readily released which would be advantageous to novice chefs or less skilled food preparation personnel. The roller sheet  56  is comprised of a flexible material bonded at one end  62  to a base plate  64  of a chosen dimension. In FIG. 7, the base plate  64  is approximately 8 inches by 8 inches, but can be in any size. The bottom of the base plate  64  has a slight incline of approximately one-quarter of one inch which acts as a stopping means  66  at the end of the rolling process when the chosen piece of Sushi is completed. Guide rails  68  may also be provided to aid in rolling the roller sheet  56  along the base plate  64 .  
       METHOD OF MAKING A CALIFORNIA ROLL OF THE PRESENT INVENTION  
       [0037]    With reference to FIGS.  8 - 11 , a sheet of seaweed  70  is placed on roller sheet  56 . The seaweed should be sized to fit to the inside edge of guide rails  68 , if provided, and to the inside edge of the roller rod  58  and bottom edge  62  toward the stopping means  66  of base plate  64 . A layer of sushi rice  72  is spread on top of this sheet to cover the seaweed. If guide rails  68  are provided in the embodiment, the rice is preferably spread to the guide rails  68  and out to the roller rod  58  and bottom edge  62  of roller sheet  56 . A filling  74  (e.g. crab meat, Avocado, or other fillings) is then placed across the layer of rice approximately 1½″ from the roller rod  58  toward the stopping means  66 . Holding both handles  60 , the user picks up the top end of the roller sheet  56 , pulling the handles  60  and roller sheet  56  towards the bottom edge  62  and the stopping means  66 , thus rolling up a cylinder shaped Sushi Roll. When the sushi roll reaches the bottom edge  62 , the roller sheet  56  is draped over the stopping means  66  down to table level. Using both hands, the user compresses the sushi roll between the roller sheet  56  and the stopping means  66 , with light but firm pressure. This will form a finished roll. The roller sheet  56  is pulled back to its original position and the cylinder shaped sushi roll is removed from the stopping means  66 . Finally, the sushi roll is cut with a sharp knife into approx. 8 pieces depending on the desired serving size.  
         [0038]    With reference to FIGS.  12 - 15 , another preferred embodiment of the present invention is there shown and includes a second preferred embodiment of a Nigiri Sushi mold  110  and a second preferred embodiment of a California Roll apparatus  154  for use in conjunction with the Nigiri Sushi mold  110 . This embodiment is shaped so that both apparatus of the present invention may be stacked and fit neatly within a box  18  with lid  20  (FIG. 1) to form a sushi kit  200 . The kit  200  is compact and is easily stored as a unit that can readily be formed into a Nigiri Sushi mold  110  and may also be quickly and easily assembled for making California Rolls.  
         [0039]    In a particularly preferred embodiment, FIGS. 12 and 13 illustrate a Nigiri Sushi mold  110  for use with the Sushi kit  200 . The Nigiri Sushi mold assembly  110  is configured with a mold  112 , a plate  114 , a press  116  and a box  18  with a removable lid  20  (FIG. 1.) In a first example of operation, box  18  would be used as storage unit for mold  112 , plate  114  and press  116 . In a second example of operation, box  18  would be configured with regions configured to seat and serve the Nigiri Sushi. Mold  112  and plate  114  are of a rectangular configuration allowing for the plate  114  to readily set on lip  122  (FIG. 13) without the need for a male and female key arrangement as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and  4 .  
         [0040]    The mold  110  includes a flat surface  120  that is configured with at least one and, more preferably, a plurality of indentations  128  extending longitudinally along the flat surface  120  of mold  112 . The indentations  128  are shown at an angle but may be provided in any configuration. The indentations  128  are supported in part by supporting surface  132  and wall  134  which substantially surrounds both the indentations  128  and the supporting surface  132 . The indentations  128  are further configured with an elliptical hole  136  positioned substantially at the center of the indentations  128 , which is substantially smaller in both shape and dimension than the indentations  128 .  
         [0041]    A plate  114  is configured with a flat surface  138  having an outer profile similar in size and shape to the inner surface  140  of lip  122 . Plate  114  is further configured with a plurality of funnels  144  which extend longitudinally along the flat surface  138  of plate  114  which are in alignment with indentations  128 . Opposing finger holes  149  (FIG. 15) are provided along the outer circumference to aid in removing the plate  114  from the top of the mold  112  after the Nigiri Sushi has been formed.  
         [0042]    Referring specifically to FIG. 13, when the plate  114  and mold  112  are in alignment and flush with each other, extending member  148  of funnel  144  partially resides in at least one of the indentations  128 . The shape and size of extending member  148  is substantially similar to that of the outer area of at least one of the indentations  128 .  
         [0043]    The number of funnels  142  may be equal to that of the number of indentations  128  of the mold  112 . However, it is foreseeable the number of funnels  142  are more or less than the number of indentations  128 . This may be preferable when it is desired to create mold  112  and plate  114  configurations to obtain a specific number of servings. It is contemplated that the funnels  142  may further comprise a spout or wave-shaped bottom edge which can assist in the formation of the rice into the desired oval or ball shape and allows the selected seafood item to shape and meet the respective contours.  
         [0044]    Other important features of the present invention include the use of a press  116 , which is illustrated as having a first end  150  and a second end  152 . The first end  150  has a cross sectional shape substantially similar to that of the opening of funnel  144  such that the first end  150  can unobtrusively enter in and through funnel  144  and extending member  148 . The second end  152  has a cross sectional shape substantially similar to that of the elliptical hole  136  residing in the bottom of the indentations  128  such that the second end  152  can fit unobtrusively through elliptical hole  136 .  
         [0045]    With reference to FIGS. 14 and 15, a second preferred embodiment is there shown for a method and apparatus for molding and forming traditional sushi pieces, such as California Rolls. More particularly, in this embodiment, a Sushi Roll Apparatus  154  is disclosed which utilizes a roller sheet  156  having an attached rod  158  with two ends or handles  160  used to physically roll and form the chosen food items into a piece of Sushi. The rod  158  is attached to a free end  159  of roller sheet  156  by attaching means such as pegs  161  extending downwardly from the securing strip  176  through the roller sheet  156  for attachment to a roller rod  160  via corresponding openings  172 , 174 . The roller sheet  156  is comprised of a flexible material bonded at one end  162  to a base plate  164  of a chosen dimension that has a plurality of holes  171  and seats within the inverted mold  112  and plate  114  of the Nigiri Sushi mold  110  illustrated in FIGS.  12 - 13 . Attaching means such as pegs  165  extend downwardly from stopping means  166  through corresponding openings  167  in one end  162  of the roller sheet  156  and openings  169  in base plate  164  and aligning with peg support holes  170  in the inverted mold  112 .  
         [0046]    As best shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, the Sushi Roll apparatus  154  uses the inverted Nigiri Sushi mold  110  as a support base. To form the California Roll apparatus  154 , the plate  114  of the Nigiri Sushi mold  110  is inverted and supports the inverted mold  112 . Rod  158  is attached to roller sheet  156  by inserting pegs  161  through openings  172  and subsequently through openings  174  in securing strip  176 . Securing strip  176  may be made of any material, such as rubber, plastic, or silicone, that is rigid and will provide temporary or permanent securing means for supporting the rod  158  to the roller sheet  156  when in use. Stopping means  166  is removably secured to the support base  112  by extending pegs  165  through openings  165 , 167  for insertion into support holes  170  in the support base  112 . The Sushi Roll apparatus  154  is shown in its functioning form in FIG. 14. As described above in detail, the method for making and using the Nigiri Sushi mold and Sushi Roll apparatus are used to form sushi. The box  18  with lid  20  may be used as serving pieces for the sushi when not being used to store the kit  200 .  
         [0047]    Although the invention has been described with particular reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0