Patent ID: 8181560

Claim:
A food processing tool, comprising: a main body including a tray having a surface substantially forming a plane, the main body having a proximal end and a distal end with a first lateral side and an opposing second lateral side extending between the proximal end and the distal end; a handle extending from the proximal end of the main body; a main slicing blade having a sharpened edge extending above the plane of the tray and further extending substantially between the first lateral side and the second lateral side; a first plurality of blades extending above the surface of the tray, the first plurality of blades being non-parallel with the plane defining the surface of the tray, the first plurality of blades configured to be selectively movable between a first position in which the first plurality of blades are extending above the surface of the tray and a second position in which the first plurality of blades are retracting below the surface of the tray; a second plurality of blades, the second plurality of blades being configured to be selectively movable between a first position in which the second plurality of blades are extending above the surface of the tray and a second position in which the second plurality of blades are retracting below the surface of the tray; wherein the first plurality of blades is positioned between the main blade and the distal end of the main body and the second plurality of blades is positioned between the main blade and the proximal end of the main body; and wherein the first plurality of blades is housed in a first cartridge and the second plurality of blades is housed in a second cartridge, each of the first cartridge and the second cartridge being carried by a rack mounted to the main body for lateral movement generally along an axis extending from the proximal end to the distal end, and a first surface formed on the rack such that lateral movement of the rack in a first direction causes the first cartridge to engage the first surface, thereby urging the first cartridge upward and extending the first plurality of blades into the first position, and a second surface formed on the rack such that lateral movement of the rack in the first direction causes the second cartridge to engage the second surface, thereby urging the second cartridge upward and extending the second plurality of blades into the first position.