Patent Document

BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present disclosure relates generally to a salad making device, and more particularly to an integrated device for making fruit or vegetable salad, in which the fruits or vegetables contained can also be cleaned and cut. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    When people host guests at home, they often provide the guests with fruits such as apples or pears after a meal. However, a whole apple or a whole pear is too much for one just after finishing the meal. Further, having a single kind of fruit, such as an apple or a pear, may not be as appealing to the guests as having different kinds of fruit. Therefore, a vegetable and/or fruit salad is usually provided instead of the single fruit. 
         [0005]    Generally, a process of making salad includes cleaning the fruits or vegetables; cutting the fruits or vegetables into different shapes such as a cube, a slice, or a shred; putting the cut fruits or vegetables into a container and adding salad dressing; and stirring the mix of the salad dressing and the cut fruit or vegetables. Such process utilizing a lot of instruments such as containers, knives/cleavers, and utensils which are also needed to be cleaned after making the salad, is so time-consuming and troublesome. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    An object of the present disclosure is to provide an integrated cleaning and cutting device for making salad, in which the salad material can be cleaned, cut and stored within the single device, thus reducing the numbers of vessels and instruments used during the making of salad and simplifying the process of making salad. 
         [0007]    The integrated cleaning and cutting device provided in the present disclosure includes a case, a cover covering the case, a basket received in the case, with a plurality of palings formed thereon, and a basket shelter, such as a wave shape basket shelter, mounted on the basket, wherein a drive mechanism is coupled to the cover for driving the basket to rotate in the case, and a cutting mechanism is fitted in the cover adapted for cutting salad material, which comprises a blanking hole communicated with the basket in the case. 
         [0008]    In the integrated cleaning and cutting device, the drive mechanism comprises a shaft inserted in a middle of the cover, with the bottom end thereof affixed to the middle of the basket shelter, and the top end thereof rotationally engaged with a wheel embedded in a top surface of the cover, the wheel having a handle to operate the wheel to rotate. 
         [0009]    In one of the embodiments of the integrated cleaning and cutting device, a plurality of planet gears are formed on side walls of the wheel, and a plurality of gears are formed on the top end of the shaft such that the plurality of gears of the shaft engages with the planet gears of the wheel to form a planet gear mechanism between the wheel and the shaft. 
         [0010]    In the integrated cleaning and cutting device, a brake block is embedded in the top surface of the cover and located at a lateral side of the wheel for decelerating the rotating of the wheel. 
         [0011]    In the integrated cleaning and cutting device, a plurality of orientation grooves are defined in the edges of the basket shelter for engagingly receiving the basket. 
         [0012]    In the integrated cleaning and cutting device, an opening is defined in the cover, and the cutting mechanism further comprises a cutting board fitted in the opening, the cutting board having blades mounted thereon, and the blanking hole being designed in the basket shelter to correspond to the opening of the cover. 
         [0013]    In the integrated cleaning and cutting device, the cutting mechanism further comprises a scrub rod with a plurality of pins formed at bottom end thereof adapted for inserting into the salad material. 
         [0014]    In the integrated cleaning and cutting device, a slideway is defined above the opening of the cover, and the cutting mechanism further comprises a scrub board having a slide rail at bottom thereof for matching the slideway, and a plurality of pins formed at the bottom thereof adapted for inserting into the salad material. 
         [0015]    In the integrated cleaning and cutting device, a grab handle extends from the scrub board opposite to the slide rail of the scrub board. 
         [0016]    In the integrated cleaning and cutting device, a scrub rod is embedded in the grab handle with a plurality of additional pins formed at bottom thereof adapted for inserting into the salad material. 
         [0017]    Multiple beneficial effects can be obtained by utilizing the present device described hereinafter. The cleaning fluid can be filled in the case with a cover sealed thereon. The salad material such as apples or pineapples can be contained in the basket with palings formed thereon, and further contained in the case and cleaned by the cleaning fluid. The drive mechanism coupled to the cover can be conveniently operated by the handle to drive the basket to rotate in the case, whereby the salad material is cleaned in the rotating basket. In addition, the cleaned salad material can be cut on the cutting mechanism fitted in the cover and directly fall into the basket via a blanking hole of the basket shelter from the cutting mechanism communicated with the basket. The cut salad material can be taken out from the case at one time by taking the basket out of the case, and put into a stirring container, in which salad dressing may be added to be stirred with the cut salad material to make salad. Utilizing the present device solely, one can both clean and cut the salad material. Furthermore, the basket having an artistic appearance can be directly used as a vessel for serving the salad. Thus, the plurality of containers and instruments conventionally used in making salad is reduced. Further, the case can contain some clean water while the salad material is being cut, so that the cut salad material is immersed therein, to prevent the cut salad material being oxidized from contacting with the atmosphere, and so that the cut salad material retains freshness. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0018]    Many aspects of the present embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
           [0019]      FIG. 1  is an isometric, assembled view of an integrated cleaning and cutting device in accordance with a first embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0020]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the integrated cleaning and cutting device of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0021]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the integrated cleaning and cutting device of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0022]      FIG. 4  is a view similar to  FIG. 3 , in which a scrub board of the integrated cleaning and cutting device is assembled. 
           [0023]      FIG. 5  is an isometric solid view of the integrated cleaning and cutting device in  FIG. 4 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 6  is an exploded view of a cover of the integrated cleaning and cutting device of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0025]      FIG. 7  is a schematic view of a cutting board of an integrated cleaning and cutting device in accordance with a second embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0026]      FIG. 8  is a schematic view of a cutting board of an integrated cleaning and cutting device in accordance with a third embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0027]      FIG. 9  is an enlarged view of part II in  FIG. 4 . 
           [0028]      FIG. 10  is a schematic view of the scrub board of the integrated cleaning and cutting device in  FIG. 4 . 
           [0029]      FIG. 11  is an enlarged view of part I in  FIG. 3 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0030]      FIGS. 1-3  illustrate an integrated cleaning and cutting device in accordance with a first embodiment of the present disclosure. The integrated cleaning and cutting device comprises a case  1 , a cover  2  covering the case  1 , a basket  3  received in the case  1  and a basket shelter  4  mounted on the basket  3 . The case  1  is sealed by the cover  2  to avoid the cleaning fluid spilling out of the case  1  at the time of cleaning salad material such as fruits or vegetables contained therein. The basket shelter  4  prevents the fruits or vegetables sliding out of the basket  3 , and drives the basket  3  to rotate in the case  1 . The basket  3  has a plurality of palings  5  to allow the cleaning fluid to flow throughout. 
         [0031]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 ,  3 ,  4 ,  5  and  11 , a drive mechanism is coupled to the cover  2  for driving the basket  3  rotating in the case  1 . Specifically, a convex bulge  6  protrudes upwardly from a middle bottom of the case  1 . Corresponding to the bulge  6  of the case  1 , a concave dent  7  is defined in a middle bottom of the basket  3 . The basket  3  is rotatably received in the case  1  with the bulge  6  inserted in the dent  7 . The basket  3  and the case  1  have no other parts contacted with each other except the attachment of the bulge  6  and the dent  7 . In an alternative embodiment, a shaft can be formed in the middle bottom of the case  1  to match an axle hole defined in the middle bottom of the basket  3  to render the basket  3  rotates in the case  1  around the shaft. 
         [0032]    The drive mechanism comprises a shaft  21  rotatably inserted in the middle of the cover  2 , and a wheel  22  bringing the shaft  21  to rotate. A handle  23  is formed on the wheel  22 . The bottom end of the shaft  21  is connected with the center of the basket shelter  4 , and the top end of the shaft  21  is engaged with the wheel  22  via gears to form a planet gear mechanism. In detail, as shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  11 , a chuck  33  is located beneath the cover  2  and rotatably connects the shaft  21  and the cover  2  together. After the shaft  21  inserted through the middle of the basket shelter  4 , a nut  34  is engaged with the bottom end of the shaft  21  to rigidly connect the shaft  21  and the basket shelter  4  together. A plurality of claws  35  are formed at bottom end of the handle  23 . A hole  36  is defined in a top surface of the wheel  22  biasing the center thereof. The claws  35  are inserted into the hole  36  to thereby secure the handle  23  on the wheel  22  eccentrically. 
         [0033]    As shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3 ,  5  and  11 , a receiving room  24  is defined in the top of the cover  2  for receiving the wheel  22  therein. A sleeve  25  is formed at the center of the receiving room  24 . A spindle  26  is formed at the middle bottom of the wheel  22  and rotatably received in the sleeve  25 , whereby the wheel  22  can rotate in the receiving room  24  around the sleeve  25  when driving the handle  23  along a circumferential direction of the wheel  22 . The top end of the shaft  21  is exposed in the receiving room  24  and forms a plurality of external gears  28  thereon. A plurality of internal gears  27  are formed in an inner side of the side walls of the wheel  22  to engage with the external gears  28  of the shaft  21 . A planet gear mechanism is thus obtained between the shaft  21  and the wheel  22  after the wheel  22  is positioned in the receiving room  24 , and the shaft  21  is rotated following the rotating of the wheel  22 . A diameter of the internal gears  27  of the wheel  22  is larger than that of the external gears  28  of the shaft  21 , thus, the rotating speed of the shaft  21  is greater than that of the wheel  22 , whereby a high rotating speed of the shaft  21  (i.e., of the basket  3 ) is easily performed, and the cleaning fluid contained in the case  1  is stirred adequately by the basket  3 , which is beneficial for cleaning the salad material in the case  1 . In an alternative embodiment, the external gears can be formed outside of the spindle  26  and engaged with the internal gears formed on the shaft  21  to perform the rotating of the shaft  21  following the rotating of the wheel  22 , and the speed ratio of the shaft  21  to the wheel  22  can be designed to obtain a desired rotating speed of the basket  3 . In another alternative embodiment, the spindle  26  can also be aligned with the shaft  21 , that is, the wheel  22  can be directly connected with the top end of the shaft  21 , wherein the wheel  22  can bring the shaft  21  to rotate. 
         [0034]    In use, the salad material such as various kinds of fruits and vegetables are put into the basket  3 . Cleaning fluid such as water or cleaning solution is filled in the case  1 . The basket  3  with the salad material is put into the case  1  and sealed with the cover  2 . Preferably, the basket  3  and the basket shelter  4  are configured to be revolving bodies, such that the basket shelter  4  conveniently engages with the basket  3 . In addition, edges of the basket shelter  4  connecting to the basket  3  are configured to be waved in shape, which automatically guides the basket shelter  4  to engage with the basket  3 . Further, the bottom face of the basket shelter  4  is uneven, which can force the salad material floating in the cleaning fluid to move up and down, to adequately clean the salad material. During cleaning, the shaft  21  is rotated following the rotating of the wheel  22  by driving the handle  23 . The basket shelter  4  rotates via the shaft  21  due to the connection with the bottom end of the shaft  21 , which also drives the basket  3  to rotate around the bulge  6  in the case  1 , since the basket shelter  4  also connects the basket  3 . The cleaning fluid in the case  1  is stirred by the basket  3 , on which the plurality of palings  5  are formed, to clean the salad material. Then, the salad material can be taken out from the case  1  at one time by taking out the basket  3 , instead of taking out pieces of salad material one by one. At last, the cleaning fluid is poured out from the case  1 . 
         [0035]    In the present embodiment, a transverse hole  30  is defined in a side wall of the receiving room  24  to communicate with a vertical hole  31  defined in the top surface of the cover  2 . A brake block  32  made of elastic material is received in the vertical hole  31 . The rotation of the wheel  22  and the basket  3  can be actively stopped by pressing the block  32  to deform and protrude from the transverse hole  30  to scrub the side wall of the wheel  22 . Thus, the continuous rotation of basket  3  in the case  1  causing spilling of the cleaning fluid after opening the cover  2  can be prevented. 
         [0036]    Referring to  FIGS. 4 ,  5  and  6 , a cutting mechanism is furnished on the cover  2  for cutting the salad material. Due to the drive mechanism on the cover  2  being a planet gear mechanism, the wheel  22  can be located on a lateral side of the cover  2  instead of the center thereof, and the cutting mechanism can be located on another lateral side of the cover  2  to fully exploit the space of the cover  2  and form a compact construction. Specifically, a step  41  is formed at the other lateral side of the cover  2 , with an opening  42  defined therein. The cutting mechanism comprises a cutting board  44  detachably fitted in the opening  42  of the step  41 , with a plurality of blades  43  mounted thereon. Corresponding to the opening  42 , a plurality of blanking holes  8  are defined in the basket shelter  4  for the cut salad material to fall into the case  1 . The salad material is cut into a predetermined shape by the blades  43  when sliding on the cutting board  44 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , the salad material is cut into strips with a cross-section thereof being rectangular in shape.  FIG. 7  shows a cutting board  44  of the device in accordance with a second embodiment, and the salad material is cut by such a cutting board  44  into strips with a cross-section thereof being petaling in shape.  FIG. 8  shows a cutting board  44  of the device in accordance with a third embodiment, and the salad material is cut by such a cutting board  44  into flakes. As described above, the device can be equipped with different cutting boards  44  having different blades  43  to cut the salad material into different shapes, adding to the artistic appearance of the salad. 
         [0037]    Referring to  FIGS. 6 ,  7  and  8 , a plurality of guiding grooves  45  are preferably defined in the cutting board  44 , an elongated direction of which being aligned with the sliding direction of the salad material. Therefore, the salad material is guided to slide in a single direction and a changeable sliding direction caused by an uneven force is prevented to ensure a uniform shape of the cut salad material. 
         [0038]    Referring to  FIGS. 4 ,  6  and  9 , a slideway  46  is defined above the opening  42  of the step  41  for a scrub board  47  sliding therein. A plurality of pins  48  protrude downwardly from the bottom of the scrub board  47 . Specifically, a secondary step  49  formed in one side of the step  41  and a baffle plate  50  formed at an opposite side of the step  41  cooperatively define the slideway  46  therebetween. Corresponding to the slideway  46 , a slide rail  51  is formed at the bottom of the scrub board  47 . When cutting the salad material, the pins  48  of the scrub board  47  are inserted into the salad material, and the scrub board  47  with the salad material is slid in the slideway  46  back and forth to thereby cut the salad material into a desired shape such as flakes or strips etc. Referring to  FIG. 5 , the plurality of blanking holes  8  are preferably arranged circumferentially in the basket shelter  4 . In the present embodiment, a plurality of concaved portions are formed in the basket shelter  4  due to a plurality of orientation grooves  29  being defined in the edges of the basket shelter  4  connecting the basket  3 . The blanking holes  8  are defined preferably in the bottoms of the concaved portions to be configured as a funnel shape, such that the cut salad material easily falls into the basket  3  and does not fall between the case  1  and the basket  3  along the basket shelter  4 . 
         [0039]    Referring to  FIGS. 6 ,  9  and  10 , a tubal grab handle  52  extends upwardly from the scrub board  47  for conveniently operating the scrub board  47  to slide in the slideway  46 . A scrub rod  53  is inserted in the grab handle  52 . In detail, a tunnel  54  is defined in the grab handle  52  for embedding the scrub rod  53  therein. Similar to the pins  48  of the scrub board  47 , a plurality of pins  55  extend downwardly from the bottom of the scrub rod  53 . The scrub rod  53  can be barely utilized with the pins  55  thereof inserting into the salad material to directly slide back and forth on the cutting board  44  when the salad material has a large volume, while the salad material becomes thin after being cut for a moment, the remaining salad material can be removed off the scrub rod  53  and secured on the bottom of the scrub board  47  to slide in the slideway  46  for further cutting. Thus, the salad material with different thicknesses is conveniently cut in the device. 
         [0040]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 , the step  41 , in which the cutting mechanism is set forth, is mounted by a lateral cover  56 . The lateral cover  56  is consistent with the cover  2  to form a uniform appearance of the device, functioning as a shield to prevent dusts entering into the device, and to avoid damage by the blades  43  of the cutting board  44  when the cutting mechanism is not in use. 
         [0041]    It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being preferred or exemplary embodiments of the disclosure.

Technology Category: y