Egg slicer

• US 7,984,554 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2010
• Issued: 07/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Helen of Troy Limited
• Original Assignee: Helen of Troy Limited
• Inventors: Kaneko, Eugene Rye, Laskowski, Michael John, Aby-Eva, Gregiore Bernard
• Primary Examiner(s): Ashley; Boyer D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Flores-Sánchez; Omar
• Application Number:
  US12/729,798
• Publication Number:
  US 20100175569A1
• Time in Patent Office: 490 Days
• Field of Search: 301/14, 301/17, 301/16, 303/03, 303/04, 835/97, 836/511, 839/32, 995/45, 995/43, 995/37
• US Class Current: 30/116
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 9/003 by slicing slabs or prints into pats
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 1/30 with limited pivotal movement to effect cut
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 1/553 with a plurality of wire-like cutting members
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 3/185 Grid like cutters
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 3/26 specially adapted for cutting fruit or vegetables, e.g. for onions
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 7/00 Details of apparatus for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out, punching, perforating, or severing by means other than cutting cutters B26D1/00; arrangements for guiding hand cutting tools B26B29/06; punching tools or dies, cutting-out knives or dies B26F
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 7/01 Means for holding or positioning work
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 7/02 with clamping means B26D7/018 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 7/1818 by pushing out
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/242 With means to clean work or tool
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/9457 Joint or connection

Abstract

An apparatus for partitioning a food mass, such as a solidified egg, is disclosed including a base, a holder for supporting the food mass, and a plurality of cutting members for partitioning the food mass, wherein the holder is rotatable to permit the cutting members to partition the food mass in a first orientation and in a second orientation. The apparatus further includes a retainer positionable on a top surface of the food mass having passageways permitting the cutting members to pass through a portion thereof. The apparatus may include a cleaning plate receivable by portions of the holder in a position below the food mass, the cleaning plate being removable from the holder to remove food matter from between the support portions. The apparatus may include a lock for securing apparatus in a closed or lowest position for storage.

Claims

1. An apparatus for partitioning a food mass, the apparatus comprising:

a base;

a holder for supporting the food mass on the base, the holder being connected to the base;

a plurality of cutting members movable relative to the holder for partitioning the food mass; and

a cleaning member,

wherein the holder includes a plurality of support portions extending upwardly to support the food mass thereon and includes first and second sets of recesses between the support portions permitting first cutting members being receivable within the first set of holder recesses and second cutting members being receivable within the second set of holder recesses, the first set of holder recesses being oriented substantially orthogonal to the second set of holder recesses, the cleaning member being receivable in the holder recesses between the support portions in a position below the food mass and including openings for receiving the support portions, and the cleaning member being removable from the holder to remove food matter from between the support portions.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cleaning member is plate.