Patent Abstract:
A pastry cutter set with combined storage case and support. The cutters include a closed peripheral wall suitable for stamping corresponding shapes from rolled pastry dough. Two sizes are provided for each shape, with these sizes permitting nesting of the smaller within the larger. A case provide a convenient place for storing stacked sets of the nested cutters. The case additionally includes mounting studs extending therefrom. The cutters include appropriate apertures for receiving the mounting studs to thus mount one or more cutters upon the case for easier manipulation and multiple stamping.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is related to copending Ser. No. 29/092,334, which is incorporated by reference herein and made a part hereof, including but not limited to those portions which specifically appear hereinafter. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
     Not Applicable. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates in general to kitchen utensils for cutting rolled pastry dough to form shapes. In particular, the present invention relates to an improved set of cutters for forming shapes from rolled pastry dough, and a case for holding such cutters during storage and mounting such cutters during use. 
     Pastry dough cutters are well known, and take the general form of a vertical wall forming a closed figure. The shape of such figures vary widely from simple geometric forms to more complex forms. This vertical wall is pressed into a rolled portion of pastry dough to cut (and more specifically stamp) the dough into a shape corresponding to the cutter. While the upper portion of the cutter is often formed as open, a handle is typically provided for ease of use pressing and lifting the cutter during use. 
     One common difficulty with such cutters is storage. A wide variety of shapes are often desired for forming different shapes on different occasions, necessitating a large number of cutters. The differing shapes of the cutters makes it difficult to stack the cutters in a stable configuration, even if they include the same type of handle. This typically results in the cutters being stored loosely within a container or drawer in a jumbled configuration. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a set of pastry cutters. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a storage container for such cutters. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a storage container which may also be used as a mount for use of the cutters. 
     These and other objects are achieved by a pastry cutter set with combined storage case and support. The cutters include a closed peripheral wall suitable for stamping corresponding shapes from rolled pastry dough. Two sizes are provided for each shape, with these sizes permitting nesting of the smaller within the larger. A case provide a convenient place for storing stacked sets of the nested cutters. The case additionally includes mounting studs extending therefrom. The cutters include appropriate apertures for receiving the mounting studs to thus mount one or more cutters upon the case for easier manipulation and multiple stamping. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The objects and features of the invention noted above are explained in more detail with reference to the drawings, in which like reference numerals denote like elements, and in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of the cutters and case of the present invention in a storage condition; 
     FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view along line  2 — 2  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the cutters and case; 
     FIG. 4 is a bottom perspective view of a portion of the cutters mounted to the case in an operative condition; and 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional side view along line  5 — 5  of FIG.  4 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference to FIG. 1, a set of pastry cutters with combined storage case and support is generally designated by reference numeral  10 . As best shown in FIG. 3, the set and case  10  includes a plurality of pastry cutters  12  and a case  14 . Each will now be described in more detail. 
     As shown in FIG. 3, the pastry cutters  12  each include a closed peripheral wall  16  having a cutting edge  18  and a rear edge  20 . The cutting edge  18  is intended to be manually pressed into a quantity of rolled (i.e., flattened) pastry dough (not shown) such that the cutting edge  18  will cut or punch a portion of the dough corresponding to the shape of the cutting edge  18 . To this end, the cutting edge  18  may preferably have a reduced thickness compares to the rear edge  20 . 
     The rear edge  20  preferably includes an outer bead  22  extending peripherally outward from the outer periphery. This outer bead  22  may be manually grasped by the user to aid in manipulating the pastry cutters  12  when used individually to cut the pastry dough. The rear edge  20  also includes a rear face  24  extending inward from the inner periphery. This rear face  24  may take different forms depending upon the particular pastry cutter  12 . 
     Specifically, the pastry cutters  12  preferably include not only different peripheral shapes, but also different sizes. For example, if the peripheral shape of a pastry cutter  12  is circular, the diameter (and thus the peripheral length of the cutting edge  18  and rear edge  20 ) may vary. While not required, it is preferred to provide two different sizes for each of the peripheral shapes, as best illustrated in FIG.  3 . As such, in the preferred form the pastry cutters  12  may be divided into large cutters  26  and small cutters  28 . The difference in size between these two may of course vary, but it is preferred that for each peripheral shape, the peripheral wall  16  of the large cutter  26  will receive the small cutter  28  therewithin, such that the rear face  24  of the small cutter  28  rests upon the rear face  24  of the large cutter  26 . This is referred to as the nested position, and is best illustrated in FIG.  2 . Additionally, it is preferred that the vertical length of the peripheral wall  16  of the large cutters  26  and small cutters  28  be different, such that when the associated cutters are in the nested position, the cutting edge  18  for both cutters will be in a substantially common plane, as shown. 
     For the large cutters  26 , the rear face  24  preferably takes the form of a planar element having a mounting aperture  30  extending therethrough. This mounting aperture  30  preferably is of the same size and shape for each of the large cutters  26 , but this is not required. In the preferred embodiment, this is shown as circular. For the small cutters  28 , the rear face  24  preferably takes the form of a bead extending inward from the inner periphery of the rear edge  20 , similar to the outer bead  22 . This bead defines a mounting aperture  30  within each of the small cutters  28 , but such mounting apertures  30  will have a size and shape generally corresponding to the peripheral wall  16  of the associated small cutter  28 . The purpose of these mounting apertures  30  will be made clear below. 
     The case  14  generally includes a first wall  32 , as second wall  34  in spaced parallel relation to the first wall  32 , and one or more sidewalls  36  extending between the peripheries of the first and second walls. These elements serve to define an interior  38  which is sized to closely receive the pastry cutters  12 . When held within the interior  38 , it is preferred that the pastry cutters  12  have a particular configuration, referred to as the stored position. In this regard the periphery of the case  14  may have a shape corresponding to the pastry cutters  12  when in the stored position. In the preferred form, the periphery of the case  14  takes the general form of a numeral  8 , or in other words an oval having a depression formed at each minor axis. This forms two lobes  40 , each of which is sized to receive one of the large cutters  26 . This may be all the cutters stored, but it is preferred that corresponding small cutters  28  are also provided in the nested condition. Additionally, it is preferred that the case  14  have a height sufficient to store two sets of nested cutters one on top of the other. As such, in the preferred form there are four large cutters  26  and four small cutters  28 . With each small cutter  28  received within the associated large cutter  26  in the nested position, the stored position for the pastry cutters  12  is relatively small, and thus saves space. 
     It is of course necessary to be able to place the pastry cutters  12  within, and remove them from, the case  14 . To this end, one of the first wall  32  or second wall  34  could be pivoted to the sidewalls  36  (this arrangement not being shown. In the preferred form, the sidewall  36  is formed with a parting line  42  dividing the sidewalls  36  into two segments, one extending from each of the first wall  32  and second wall  34 . To maintain these segments together in the storage position, one of the segments may include a peripheral lip  44  sized to partially surround the other of the segments. 
     From the description above, it may be seen that the pastry cutters  12  may be stored within the case  14 , or may be removed therefrom for use. This use may be a simple manual manipulation of the pastry cutters  12  as in the prior art. It is preferred, however, to provide the case  14  with an additional utility, which is as a mount for one or more pastry cutters  12 . 
     Specifically, it is preferred that at least the first wall  32 , and preferably both the first wall  32  and second wall  34  include one or more mounting studs  46  extending outward therefrom. As described above, the large cutters  26  may include the mounting aperture  30  having a predefined shape. If such large cutters  26  are used, at least one of the mounting studs  46  will have a size and shape corresponding to this mounting aperture  30 . As such, the large cutter  26  may be placed upon the outer surface of the first wall  32  (or second wall  34 ) with the appropriate mounting stud  46  extending through the mounting aperture  30  as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Depending upon the fit, this may be sufficient to secure the large cutter  26  in this operative position. It is preferred, however, that the free end of the mounting studs  46  include one or more locking ribs  48  extending outward from the periphery. By forming the case  14  and or pastry cutters  12  of an appropriately resilient material, such as plastic, the locking ribs  48  may serve to snap-lock the large cutter  26  in this operative position, as best illustrated in FIG.  5 . 
     As may be envisioned, the large cutter  26  in this operative position may be used to cut pastry dough as before, but by manually grasping the portion of the case  14 . This may be easier in some circumstances, and especially for small children. It is preferred that more than one mounting stud  46  extend from the first wall  32 , so that multiple stampings maybe made through the dough with each pressing. It is further noted that the mounting studs  46  are preferably hollow, such that the user may extend a finger or other utensil through the mounting stud to access the interior of the mounted cutter, to thus strip the stamped dough from the cutter. 
     A similar arrangement may be made for the small cutters  28 . Specifically, one or more mounting studs  46  are provided, with these mounting studs  46  having a size and shape to receive the particular mounting aperture  30  of the small cutters  28 . In the embodiment shown, the second wall  34  includes two such specially shaped mounting studs  46 . These mounting studs  46  may again include the locking ribs  48 . In this regard, it is noted that forming the case  14  of plastic typically would involve injection molding. Injection molding, however, is a difficult process for forming undercut section such as the locking ribs  48 . To allow their formation using this process, the first wall  32  and/or second wall  34  may include access ports  50  extending therethrough at locations below the locking ribs  48 . These access ports  50  may be used to permit a portion of the mold to extend therethrough to provide a surface against which the inner face of the locking ribs  48  may be formed. 
     From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all ends and objects hereinabove set forth together with the other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the structure. 
     It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims. 
     Since many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0