GB2312613A - A food processing device. - Google Patents

Abstract

The device comprises a body portion 1 with a removable food receiving container 2, the body portion 1 being provided with a pair of upstanding struts 4, the inner surface of each strut being provided with a hook-shaped channel 9, a handle 3 pivotally attached to the body 1, a cutting, extruding or juice extracting member 6, 7 positioned adjacent an opening in the container 2, a food pressing device 8, 16 which is slidably mounted in the hook-shaped channels 9 and which freely engages and slides over the upper surface of the handle 3 as, in use, the handle 3 is pivoted from a first position to a second position whereby, the pressing device 8, 16 advances towords the cutting, extruding or juice extracting member 6, 7 substantially perpendicular thereto.

Description

A Food Processing Device The present invention relates to a device for cutting or extruding food items or extracting juice therefrom.

Manually operated devices which can cut and core apples, cut raw potatoes into chips and extrude cooked potato are known, but they suffer from the problem that because the plate which pushes the food item towards the cutting blade etc. is fixed to the handle the food item is pushed at an angle which is not 90" to the processing blade and so this limits the height of the item that can be processed and can also result in uneven cutting and wastage.

We have sought to overcome the problems inherent in such known devices.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a food processing device which comprises a body portion with a removable food receiving container, the body portion being provided with a pair of upstanding struts, the inner surface of each strut being provided with a hook-shaped channel, a handle pivotally attached to the body, a cutting, extruding or juice extracting member positioned adjacent an opening in the container, a food pressing device which is slidably mounted in the hook-shaped channels and which freely engages and slides over the upper surface of the handle as, in use, the handle is pivoted from a first position to a second position whereby, the.

pressing device advances towords the cutting, extruding or juice extracting member substantially perpendicular thereto.

Preferably, the pressing device comprises a die holder to which is detachably mounted one of several interchangeable dies. The die holder is preferably provided with two legs, each of which is provided with one or more pegs (preferably two) which are located within the hook-shaped channels of the struts.

Preferably, the die holder is provided with two lifting arms which are connected to one another via a freely rotatable drum, each lifting arm being provided with a projection or bearing which runs freely along the top surface of the handle as it is raised or lowered.

Preferably, the struts are releasably attached to the body to facilitate storage.

The present invention is further illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device of the present invention with the operating arm in the fully raised position.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the device of the present invention with operating arm in a lowered position.

Figure 3 is an exploded view of the device of the present invention.

Figure 4(a) to (f) are partial vertical sections through the device of the present invention showing the sequence of operating of the device.

Figure 5 shows an enlarged portion of Figure 4(f).

Figure 6(a) to (d) show respectively the accessories for apple cutting, potato extruding, juice extracting and potato chipping.

The device of the present invention comprises body 1, a container 2 removably located within the body 1 to receive cut or extruded food or juice. A handle 3 is detachably mounted to the body 1 by means of struts 4 and screw 5.

Mounted on the body 1 is a housing 6 to receive interchangeable cartridges 7 each fitted with, for example a cutting blade, extruding plate or juicing cone. A die holder 8 is movably located within hook shaped channels 9 located in the inner ace of each strut 4, by means of upper pegs 10 and lower pegs 11 attached to legs 12. The die holder 8 is movably supported on the handle 3 by means of lifting arms 13 each of which is provided with a projection or bearing 15 which runs freely along the top surface of the handle 3 as that is raised or lowered. Lifting arms 13 are connected to one another via a freely rotatable cylinder 14.

Depending upon the desired operation of the device, one of several interchangeable dies 16 can be detachably mounted on the under side of the die holder 8 by means of hooks 17.

The operation of the device is illustrated in Figures 4(a) to 4(f). In Figure 4(a), the handle 3 and die holder 8 and die 16 are in the fully raised position with upper pegs 10 located fully within hook part 9(a) of channels 9.

In the position shown in Figure 4a, the lifting arms 13 are located at their position furthest from the free end of handle 3.

As the handle 3 is lowered pegs 10 are caused to move along the hookshaped parts 9a of the channels 9 until they enter channel 9 proper as shown in Figure 4(c). At the same time, the bearings 15 of the lifting arms 13 run freely along the surface of the handle 3. The combined effect of the movement of the pegs 10 and 11 and the bearings 15 ensures that the die holder 8 and die 16 move only in a substantially vertical direction with respect to the housing 6 containing the cartridge 7.

As shown in Figure 4(d), the handle 3 is in the fully lowered position with the pegs 11 located at the bottom of their respective channels 9 and the lifting arms 13 with bearings 15 resting on the handle 3 at their position closest to the free end of the handle 3.

As illustrated in Figures 4(e) and 4(f) as the handle 3 is raised the operation works in reverse.

Figure 5 shows the movement of the pegs 10 and 10 of lifting arms 13 within the channels 9 more clearly.

Figure 6(a) illustrates the attachments for coring and cutting an apple which consist of a cartridge 7 with suitably positioned cutting blades 18, a die holder 8 with a suitably shaped die 19 capable of being releasably attached to the die holder 8 by means of hooks 17.

Figure 6(b) illustrates the attachments for extruding soft food such as cooked potato which consist of a cartridge 7 with an extruding plate 20 provided with a number of holes 21 mounted therein, a positioning tube 22 and a compression plate or die 23 releasably attachable to the die holder 8 by means of hooks 17.

Figure 6(c) illustrates the attachments for squeezing citrus fruits to extract juice therefrom which consist of a cartridge 7, a perforated domed plate 24, a solid domed compression die 25 releasably attachment to the die holder 8 by mean of hooks 17.

Figure 6(d) illustrates the attachments for chipping potatoes which consist of a cartridge 7 fitted with suitably positioned cutting blades 26, a positioning device 27 and a suitably shaped die 28 capable of being releasably attached to the die holder 8 by means of hooks 17.

Claims (6)

1. A food processing device which comprises a body portion with a removable food receiving container, the body portion being provided with a pair of upstanding struts, the inner surface of each strut being provided with a hook shaped channel, a handle pivotally attached to the body, a culling, extruding or juice extracting member positioned adjacent an opening in the container, a food pressing device which is slidably mounted in the hook-shaped channels and which freely engages and slides over the upper surface of the handle as, in use, the handle is pivoted from a first position to a second position whereby, the pressing device advances towards the culling, extruding or juice extracting member substantially perpendicular thereto.

2. A food processing device as claimed in claim 1, in which, the pressing device comprises a die holder to which is detachably mounted one of several interchangeable dies.

3. A food processing device as claimed in claim 2, in which the die holder is provided with two legs, each of which is provided with one or more pegs which are located within the hook-shaped channels of the struts.

4. A food processing device as claimed in claim 2 or 3, in which the die holder is provided with two lifting arms which are connected to one another via a freely rotatable drum, each lifting arm being provided with a projection or bearing which runs freely along the top surface of the handle as it is raised or lowered.

5. A food processing device as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the struts are releasably attached to the body to facilitate storage.

6. A food processing device substantially as herein before described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.