NL2007239C2 - Table knife. - Google Patents

Description

P95668NL00 Title: Table knife

The invention relates to a table knife.

Table knives are known in a great many varieties. The knife usually consists of an elongated handle, for holding the knife, and an elongated rigid blade (having a convex cutting edge) for handling food. The 5 handling of food can include, for example, cutting and/or smearing action (e.g. spreading product over a product receiver, such as e.g. bread, biscuit or a pancake), and can furthermore include taking out food from a food container. Regarding the latter action it is observed that known knives are not particularly efficient in retrieving final bits of product from a product 10 container, rendering those knives not very economical in use.

Emptying a container, for example a jar containing a spreadable product (e.g. jam, butter, chocolate paste, honey, or another product) can be achieved using other tools than a knife, such as a spoon. However, using different means for performing different actions (e.g. a spoon for emptying a 15 jar and a knife for spreading the product that has been taken out of the jar by the spoon) is cumbersome and leads to two dirty tools instead of one.

The present invention aims to solve or at least alleviate the above-mentioned problems. To this aim, the invention provides a table knife that is characterized by the features of claim 1.

20 In an aspect of the invention there is provided a table knife, including a handle and a rigid blade, wherein the knife is provided with a protrusion that is at least partly elastic.

The rigid blade of the table knife can be used in a normal way, for handling a spreadable product (e.g. food), for cutting and/or smearing action, 25 and can furthermore include taking out food from a food container.

The at least partly elastic protrusion can provide improved, efficient, product removal action. Particularly, the knife can be used to 2 scrape final parts of product (e.g. a smearable or spreadable product) from a product container (e.g. a jar) via the at least partly elastic protrusion, by striking that protrusion along an inner side of the product container and/or along inner edges of the container. Due to an inherent flexibility of the 5 elastic protrusion, the protrusion can elastically deform (from an initial state) and follow the inner side of the product container very well, leading to extra efficient product removal.

In a further embodiment, the protrusion is located at a distal part of the blade, i.e. at a section located away from a proximal handle.

10 Alternatively, the handle as such can be provided with the protrusion (in which case the protrusion can protrude from the handle to achieve product removal action).

The protrusion can be made e.g. entirely elastic, or partly elastic.

In the latter case, the protrusion can include a elastic edge section, 15 connected to the knife (e.g. the blade of the knife) via an intermediate rigid part of the protrusion.

Regarding the terms ‘rigid blade’, the skilled person will understand that the blade is rigid compared to the flexibility of the protrusion. The blade may e.g. have some inherent flexibility, however, such 20 flexibility (if any) is significantly lower than the flexibility of the protrusion. Particularly, the elastic flexibility of the protrusion and the rigidity of the blade are such that the at least part of protrusion can flex, bend or elastically deform when scraped along a contact surface (e.g. having spreadable product that is to be picked up), in a direction normally with 25 respect to the protrusion, without deformation of the blade of the knife.

According to a further embodiment, the blade can be made of a first material, and at least part of the protrusion of a second (e.g. resilient, elastic) material that differs from the first material. For example the blade can be made of a rigid material, e.g. metal, an alloy, steel, a rigid plastic, or 30 another material. The first material can include one or more substances, as 3 will be appreciated by the skilled person. Also, for example the second material can include rubber or resilient plastic, for example elastomer, or a different elastic material. The second material can also include one or more substances, as will be appreciated by the skilled person.

5 The present invention also provides a method for manufacturing a knife, for example a knife according to the invention, the method including: providing a rigid blade, and providing the rigid blade with an at least partly elastic protrusion.

The resulting knife can e.g. be a table knife. With the knife, above- 10 mentioned advantages can be achieved.

According to one further embodiment, the at least partly elastic protrusion can be integrally molded with the blade. Alternatively, the at least partly elastic protrusion can be fixed to the blade when the blade is (already) in a final rigid state.

15 Further advantageous embodiments are described in the dependent claims. The invention will now be described on the basis of nonlimiting embodiments, shown in the drawing.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment according to the invention, showing a first side of the knife; 20 Figure 2 is a perspective view of a the first embodiment according to the invention, showing a second side of the knife;

Figure 3 is a side view of the first embodiment;

Figure 4 is a side view, similar to Fig. 3, of a second embodiment; and 25 Figure 5 is a side view, similar to Fig. 3, of a third embodiment.

Similar or corresponding features are denoted by similar or corresponding reference signs in this patent application.

Figures 1-3 show a non-limiting example of a table knife 1. The knife has a rigid handle 2 and a rigid blade 3, extending in-line with one 30 another. The present blade 3 has a slightly convex (arcuate) longitudinal 4 edge E for handling food. The edge E can be a cutting edge, configured for providing cutting action, for example an edge E having cutting teeth and/or a sharp edge. The handle 2 is configured to manually hold the knife 1, allowing a user to safely perform table knife action with the blade 3 (i.e.

5 handing food).

The skilled person will appreciate that the knife 1 as such can be shaped in different ways, for example having a sharp or blunt top T. Also, the handle 2 and blade 3 can be separate knife parts that are fixed to one another, or they can be made integrally (e.g. in one piece) with each other.

10 The handle 2 and blade 3 can be made of the same material, or from mutually different materials.

The knife 1 is advantageously provided with a flexible protruding section (protrusion) 4 that is at least partly elastic. The drawings show the protrusion 4 in an initial, non-deformed, state. Particularly, the blade 3 can 15 be of a first material, and the protrusion of a second material that differs from the first material. For example, in the embodiment shown in Figures 1-3, the protrusion is a winglet (i.e. a flap 4 part extending sideways from the rigid blade section 3), a major part 4a of the protrusion 4 being substantially elastic, e.g. being made of rubber, an elastomer, or a different elastic 20 material. Preferably, at least an outer lateral part 4a of the protrusion 4 (including a lateral edge PE for engaging an inner surface of e.g. a food container) can be made of such elastic material. In this example, the protrusion 4 also includes a rigid part 4b, protruding from a side of the blade 3, holding and providing additional support to the elastic protruding 25 part 4a.

In the embodiment of Figures 1-3, the protrusion 4 protrudes in a direction away from the cutting edge E of the blade 3. Also, the protrusion 4 is located at a distal part of the blade 3 (i.e. remote from the handle 2). In the example, a top section of the protrusion 4 is located at a top section of 5 the blade 3, and particularly matches the (rounded-off) shape of the top section of the blade 3.

The lateral edge PE of the protrusion 4 preferably extends in a straight line, for example over a distance of at least about 1 cm (and e.g.

5 with a maximum length of about 5 cm, particularly about 3 cm).

In the present example, due to its configuration, the resilient part of the protrusion 4 is at least elastically bendable (from an initial flat state) with respect to the blade 3, and particularly over a bending line that extends substantially in parallel with a longitudinal direction of the blade 3, 10 and a longitudinal direction of the handle 2.

In this example, the lateral edge PE of the protrusion 4 extends in parallel or substantially in parallel with a longitudinal centre line of the knife 1, and e.g. in parallel or substantially in parallel with the back edge BE of the blade 3. Alternatively, the lateral edge PE of the protrusion 4 can 15 e.g. extend along a line that includes an angle with the back edge BE of the blade 3, e.g. an angle in the range of minus 45 degrees to 45 degrees.

The protrusion 4 can be fixed to the blade 3 in a variety of ways, for example using an adhesive, by integrally molding, using a two-component injection molding process, or differently. As an example, referring to Fig. 1-20 2, a rigid section 4b of the protrusion 4 can be molded in once piece with the blade 3. The elastic 4a section of the protrusion 4 can be joined to the rigid section 4b and the blade 3 afterwards.

In a non-limiting further example, a length LP of the protrusion 4, measured in a longitudinal direction of the knife 1, can be at most 25% of a 25 length of the blade LB, measured in the same direction.

Also, for example, a length LP of the protrusion 4, measured in a longitudinal direction of the knife, can be at least 5% of a length LB of the blade, e.g at least 10 %, measured in the same direction.

In the present example, the at least partly resilient protrusion 30 protrudes from the back longitudinal edge BE of the blade 3. Further, a 6 lower edge of the protrusion 4 includes a relatively large angle a in the range of about 70-110 degrees, particularly an angle a of about 90 degrees, with the back edge BE of the blade 3, viewed in side view, and with a longitudinal centre line of the knife 1.

5 Besides, according to a further embodiment, a thickness of the protrusion 4, measured normally with respect to main surfaces of the blade 3 can be about the same as a thickness of the blade 3, measured in the same direction. Also, for example, a maximum width W of the protrusion, measured from a hack edge BE of the blade 3 in a direction normally with 10 respect to the edge BE, can be about the same as or smaller than an average width of the blade 3 (measured in the same direction). In an embodiment, a minimum width of the protrusion can be at least 10% of the average width of the blade 3.

Figure 4 depicts another embodiment, which differs from the 15 embodiment shown in Figures 1-3 in that the handle 2’ of the knife 1’ is now provided with the protrusion 4’. For example, the protrusion 4’ can be located at, protrude from a proximal part of the handle 2’ (i.e. remote from the knife’s blade 3’). The skilled person will appreciate that the at least partly elastic protrusion can also extend from a different location of the 20 handle.

Figure 5 depicts another embodiment, wherein a elastic cap (in this example a winglet) 4” has been mounted on the top of a blade 3” of a knife 1”, to provide the elastic protrusion 4”. In this example, the cap C is a relatively flat body, having a slit, aperture or groove for receiving the top of 25 the blade 3”. For example, the cap C can be delivered separately from the knife 2”, to be mounted on (e.g. fixed to) the top of the blade 3”, leading to the advantages of the present invention.

It has been found that the present embodiments 1, 1’, 1” can provide an efficient, economical way of handling a spreadable product, including 7 significantly improved emptying final parts of a product from a container (e.g. ajar).

In the foregoing specification, the invention has been described with reference to specific examples of embodiments of the invention. It will, 5 however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

In the claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the claim. The word ‘comprising’ does not 10 exclude the presence of other features or steps then those listed in a claim. Furthermore, the words ‘a’ and ‘an’ shall not be construed as limited to ‘only one’, but instead are used to mean ‘at least one’, and do not exclude a plurality. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures 15 cannot be used to advantage.

For example, in the depicted embodiments, the protrusions all extend substantially in the same plane as respective knife blades. Alternatively, the at least partly elastic protrusion can protrude in a different direction, e.g. normally with respect to the blade, or at an angle with respect of the blade.

20

Claims (20)

Table knife, provided with a handle (2) and a rigid blade (3), characterized in that the knife (1) is provided with a protrusion (4) which is at least partially elastic. The knife according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion (4) is located on a distal part of the blade (3). A knife according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the protrusion protrudes in a direction away from a cutting edge (E) of the blade (3). 4. Knife as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein at least a part of the protrusion (4) is made of rubber or plastic, for instance elastomer. The blade of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the blade is made of a first material, and the protrusion is of a second material different from the first material. 6. Knife as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the protrusion 15 is fixed to the blade using an adhesive. A knife according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein an upper part of the protrusion is located on an upper part of the blade (3). A knife according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the protrusion is a wing. The knife of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the protrusion is completely elastic. 10. Knife according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the protrusion comprises a rigid part and an elastic part. 11. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a length of the protrusion, measured in a longitudinal knife direction, is at most 25% of a length of the blade, measured in the same direction. A knife according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a length (LP) of the protrusion, measured in a longitudinal knife direction, is at least 5% of a length (LB) of the blade, measured in the same direction. A knife according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a thickness of the protrusion (4), measured normal to a main surface of the blade (3), is approximately equal to a thickness of the blade (3), measured in the same direction. 14. A knife according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a maximum width (W) of the protrusion, measured from a rear side of the blade, is approximately equal to or narrower than an average width of the blade (3), wherein a minimum width of protrusion is at least 10% of the average width of the blade (3). 15. Knife as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein at least a part of a lateral edge (PE) of the protrusion extends in a straight line, for instance over a distance of at least 1 cm. The blade of claim 1, wherein the protrusion extends from the handle, for example, from a proximal portion of the handle. 17. Method for manufacturing a knife, for example a knife according to any one of the preceding claims, the method comprising: provided with a rigid blade (3), and providing the rigid blade (3) with an at least partially elastic protrusion . The method of claim 17, wherein the protrusion (4) is fixed to the blade (3). 19. A method according to claim 17 or 18, wherein the at least partially elastic protrusion (4) is integrally molded with the blade (3). A method according to claim 17 or 18, wherein the at least partially elastic protrusion is fixed to the blade (3) when the blade (3) is in a rigid state.