Patent ID: 7631429

Claim:
A handheld peeler comprising in combination: a main handle, a blade guard; a button assembly attached to one end of the main handle; said button assembly further consisting of: a top button, a fixing plate, a spring-loaded pin, and a spring; a blade holder and affixed axle placed with in the main handle; aligning top blade guard guide slots and bottom blade guard guide slots located on the blade guard, with a rib on the interior of a main handle cavity and pushing the blade guard into position; a plurality of blades; when the blade holder is inserted into the main handle, the spring-loaded pin on the button assembly slides over a sloped surface on the top blade holder compressing the spring and allowing the spring loaded pin to lock down into the recess on the top blade holder; a retaining ring which can freely rotate around said axle securing the blade holder in place with blade guard clips on the blade guard; a knob affixed to said axle, said knob comprised of a plurality of locating arrows and a plurality of locating blade symbols; once the blade holder is inserted, the peeler is further operated by rotating the knob, which in turn rotates the axle, retaining ring, blade holder, and blades to select a blade; the button is used to extend the blade through a blade opening and into the cutting area until the blade engages a forward blade rest, wherein the entire blade is substantially located between the blade opening and a tip of the handle; when extended, said blades rotate axially when deployed to follow the contour of the item being peeled and then be moved back to a stationary and centered position for storage; and during blade selection, as the knob is rotated, a knob position detent ensures that the rotation can only occur in a manner that positions the blade for extension by the button.