Devices and systems for cutting food and products originally in block form

• US 20050160894A1
• Filed: 12/03/2004
• Published: 07/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dalter Alimentari SpA
• Original Assignee: Dalter Alimentari SpA
• Inventors: Canegallo, PierOttavio
• Granted Patent: US 7,318,558 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 83/501
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 42/14 hand driven
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 43/255 with grating discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/7834 With means to effect axial pressure on pair

Abstract

A refillable cutting container device is described for whole block food products to be dispensed in the grated, shredded or flake form, of the type comprising: a container body suitable for receiving a food product in the form of one or more whole blocks; a cutting means of the product coupled to the container body in correspondence with the mouth thereof; and a thrusting plate of the product against the cutting tool, integral in rotation with the container body, which is suitable for engaging by screwing by means of a central hole or nut screw on an axial threaded stem being integral with the cutting tool, so as to move forward along the stem by screwing when the container body and the cutting tool are placed in relative rotation with respect to each other, by continuously pressing the product against the tool up to the substantial exhaustion thereof. The thrusting plate can have at least one slot which extends radially from the central hole so as to define an opening nut screw.

Claims

1. A refillable cutting container device for blocks of food products to be dispensed in the grated, shredded or flake form, comprising:

a container body suitable for receiving the food product in the form of one or more blocks;

cutting means for the food product, coupled to the container body in correspondence with the mouth thereof; and

thrusting means for the food product, including a plate having a geometric shape complementary to the transverse cross-section of said container body and being arranged so as to rotate as a unit with said container body, the plate being provided with a threaded central opening for threaded engagement with a threaded stem configured to rotate with said cutting means and axially oriented within the container body,

said plate being capable of moving forward along the threaded stem by screwing when the container body and the cutting means are placed in relative rotation with respect to each other, thereby continuously pressing the food product against said cutting means up to the substantial exhaustion thereof, and

characterised in that said plate has at least one slot which radially extends from the central hole so as to define an opening nut screw.

2. The device according to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises a pair of slots which radially extend from the central hole so as to define at least two elastically approaching and opening wide apart parts of the plate, whereby it is susceptible of taking a shut configuration wherein it is engaged on the stem so as to able to move forward along it by screwing, or a wide apart configuration along the slots in such an extent as to widen said central hole, whereby it results disengaged from the stem allowing the free unthreading of the stem from the central hole and thus the separation of said cutting means from the plate.

3. The device according to claim 2 wherein interfering means are provided between said thrusting plate and said container body, suitable for thrusting the parts of the plate in to the shut configuration, the plate taking the wide apart configuration in a rest condition.

4. The device according to claim 3 wherein said interfering means between thrusting plate and container body include at least one pair of baffles inside the container body, each of them having a transverse extension reduced for a short longitudinal section near the mouth of the container body, and a respective pair of notches made in the thrusting plate, suitable for receiving said baffles,

whereby, in an intermediate forwarding position of the plate along the stem, the introduction of the baffles in the corresponding notches determines the mutual approaching of the parts of the plate in the shut configuration, whereas in a stroke end position the introduction of the baffle sections with transverse extension reduced in the corresponding notches determines the widening apart of the parts of the plate in the rest configuration.

5. The device according to claim 4 wherein said baffles have a pair of retaining tabs in the plane of the mouth of the container body, protruding with respect to the transverse extension of the baffle.

6. The device according to claim 3 wherein said interfering means between the thrusting plate and the container body include at least a pair of teeth projecting from the peripheral edge of the plate and a pair of corresponding openings made on opposite walls of the container body near the mouth thereof, suitable for receiving said teeth,

whereby in an intermediate forwarding position of the plate along the stem the interference of the teeth with the walls of the container body determines the mutual approaching of the walls of the plate in the shut configuration, whereas in a stroke end position the introduction of the teeth in the corresponding openings determines the widening apart of the parts of the plate in the rest configuration.

7. The device according to claim 1 wherein said cutting means include one of a cutting tool and a carving tool of the product housed within the container body, and supporting means of said tool which can be coupled in a removable way from the container body.

8. The device according to claim 7 wherein said supporting means comprise an annular frame suitable for receiving said cutting tool or carving tool of the product, which has tied a pair of coupling oscillating tabs having a tooth-like end formation suitable for engaging on a corresponding flange integrally formed with the container body.

9. The device according to claim 7 wherein said cutting tool or carving tool of the product is a grater.

10. The device according to claim 7 wherein said cutting tool or carving tool of the product comprises at least one radial blade.

11. The device according to claim 1 wherein the plate comprises a single slot.

12. The device according to claim 11 wherein the slot is passing on a side of the thrusting plate from its peripheral edge up to the nut screw for dividing the plate in to parts.

13. The device according to claim 12 wherein the thrusting plate, in a side opposite with respect to the slot, comprises a slit.

14. The device according to claim 13 wherein the slit extends from a peripheral edge up to the nut screw so as to define two driving tines.

15. The device according to claim 14 wherein a soft small bridge is placed in correspondence with the nut screw.

16. The device according to claim 14 wherein the nut screw is normally “

C”

-shaped for being tied to the stem, and, by manual activation of the driving tines it is selectively opening in a second, more open “

C”

-like configuration, substantially in the “

U”

shape.

17. The device according to claim 14 wherein the slit is reamed, for helping a mutual approaching of the driving tines.

18. The device according to claim 14 wherein the tines comprise two bevels.

19. The device according to claim 13 wherein the slit and the slot are aligned with one another.