Handle with interchangeable kitchen implements

• US 5,933,918 A
• Filed: 09/08/1997
• Issued: 08/10/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dart Industries Incorporated (Tupperware Brands Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Dart Industries Incorporated (Tupperware Brands Corporation)
• Inventors: Wallays, Nele
• Primary Examiner(s): GREEN, BRIAN
• Application Number:
  US08/925,550
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• Field of Search: 16/114 R, 16/111 R, 16/114 A, 16/340, 16/162, 16/151, 16/319, 16/142
• US Class Current: 16/114.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 45/071 Saucepan, frying-pan handles
• CPC Class Codes: B25G 3/18 comprising catches or pawls

Abstract

The handle of the kitchen utensil is rearwardly tapering with a generally oval transverse cross-section progressively smaller toward the rear of the handle. The forward end of the handle incorporates a forwardly opening chamber which receives the mounting portion of an implement in seating relation therein, the implement having opposed spring-loaded protuberances engaged through apertures in the chamber wall and retracted only by external manual pressure thereagainst.

Claims

1. A handle with an interchangeable kitchen implement, comprising:

an elongate handle adapted to selectively mount one of a plurality of implements, said handle having opposed forward and rear ends, upper and lower surfaces, and opposed elongate side edges, a hollow chamber defined within said handle and having an open end opening through said forward end of said handle, a pair of recesses, one in each of said opposed side edges, in closely spaced relation to said forward end of said handle, and an aperture defined in each recess and opening into said chamber to form a locking component for a chamber-received implement; and

an implement having a central body, a working portion fixed to and extending forwardly from said body, a rear mounting portion receivable in said handle chamber, and a rearwardly directed extension on said body rigidly joining said mounting portion to said body, said mounting portion including an elongate stem extending rearwardly from said body extension and terminating in a transverse head, said head having opposed ends integral with a pair of forwardly extending laterally spaced locking legs extending parallel to and spaced from said stem, each leg having a forward end with an integral locking protuberance extending laterally outward of the corresponding leg for reception within an aligned one of said recesses upon reception of said mounting portion in said chamber.

2. The handle with implements of claim 1 wherein said recesses are laterally aligned.

3. The handle with implements of claim 2 wherein said forward end is concave and defines a seat for a received implement.

4. The handle with implements of claim 3 wherein said handle tapers rearwardly at least from said chamber to said rear end.

5. The handle with implements of claim 4 wherein said upper and lower surfaces are convex.

6. The handle with implements of claim 1 wherein said upper and lower surfaces are convex, said handle tapering rearwardly with said upper and lower surfaces converging rearwardly and said side edges converging rearwardly.

7. The handle with implements of claim 2 wherein said forward end is arcuate and defines a seat for a received implement.

8. The handle with implements of claim 1 wherein said chamber is of a predetermined width between said sides, said locking protuberances defining a width therebetween greater than the width of the chamber, said legs being resiliently compressible toward each other and, when compressed, fully slidable into said chamber, said protuberances forcibly extending into said apertures upon alignment therewith.

9. The handle with implements of claim 8 wherein said protuberances, when received in said handle apertures, extending into said side edge recesses.

10. The handle with implements of claim 9 wherein said body extension is of a width slightly less than the width of the chamber for close sliding reception therein between the open end of said chamber and said apertures.

11. The handle with implements of claim 10 wherein said body has a rearwardly directed shoulder forward of said extension and peripherally about said body, said shoulder being co-extensive with said forward end of said handle about said chamber and received in seating engagement against said forward end upon engagement of said locking protuberances in said apertures.

12. The handle with implements of claim 11 wherein said shoulder is arcuate and conforms to the arcuate forward end of said handle.

13. The handle with implements of claim 12 wherein said forward working portion comprises forwardly extending integral arms and a cutting disk rotatably mounted to and between said arms.

14. The handle with implements of claim 13 wherein said body includes a forward end with a pair of laterally extending extensions defining finger rests, said extensions overlying said cutting disk to opposed sides of said arms.

15. The handle with implements of claim 14 including multiple gripping protrusions on said body between said body extension and said finger rests.

16. The handle with implements of claim 10 wherein said body is elongate, and a protective sleeve slidably mounted on said body for movement therealong between an extended forward position completely enclosing said working portion and a retracted position completely exposing said working portion.

17. The handle with implements of claim 16 including cooperating locking means on said sleeve and said body for releasably retaining said sleeve in multiple adjusted positions between said extended and retracted positions thereof.

18. The handle with implements of claim 17 wherein said sleeve has an arcuate rear end conforming to and intimately received against the arcuate forward end of said handle in the fully retracted position of said sleeve.

19. The handle with implements of claim 18 wherein said locking means includes means for locking said sleeve in its fully retracted position engaged with said forward end of said handle.