Knife block with storage slot blade sharpeners and cutlery set using same
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A knife block comprising:
- a block body;
a removable block insert positioned at least partially within the block body, the block insert comprising a first knife slot, a second knife slot, an exterior surface, an interior surface, a first sharpening element holder on the interior surface configured to receive a first sharpening element, and a second sharpening element holder on the interior surface configured to receive a second sharpening element;
a first removable cap attached to the first sharpening element holder, the first removable cap having a first cavity configured to receive a third sharpening element, wherein the first knife sharpening element is positioned at least partially between the interior surface and the third sharpening element; and
a second removable cap attached to the interior surface, the second removable cap having a second cavity configured to receive a fourth sharpening element, wherein the second knife sharpening element is positioned at least partially between the interior surface and the fourth sharpening element;
wherein the first knife sharpening element and the third knife sharpening element form a V-shape when the first removable cap is coupled to the first sharpening element holder and are configured to sharpen a first knife each time the first knife is removed from the first knife slot;
wherein the second knife sharpening element and the fourth knife sharpening element form a V-shape when the second removable cap is coupled to the second sharpening element holder and are configured to sharpen a second knife each time the second knife is removed from the second knife slot; and
wherein the first knife sharpening element is angled with respect to the third knife sharpening element, and the second knife sharpening element is angled with respect to the fourth discrete knife sharpening element.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A knife block has a block body and a plurality of knife storage slots extending into the block body. A first knife sharpener is aligned with a first slot of the plurality of knife storage slots and a second knife sharpener is aligned with a second slot of the plurality of knife storage slots. The first and second knife sharpeners are each configured to contact a blade of a knife stored in the corresponding first and second slots. The knife block can be provided as part of a cutlery set that includes a plurality of knives.
16 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A knife block comprising:
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a block body; a removable block insert positioned at least partially within the block body, the block insert comprising a first knife slot, a second knife slot, an exterior surface, an interior surface, a first sharpening element holder on the interior surface configured to receive a first sharpening element, and a second sharpening element holder on the interior surface configured to receive a second sharpening element; a first removable cap attached to the first sharpening element holder, the first removable cap having a first cavity configured to receive a third sharpening element, wherein the first knife sharpening element is positioned at least partially between the interior surface and the third sharpening element; and a second removable cap attached to the interior surface, the second removable cap having a second cavity configured to receive a fourth sharpening element, wherein the second knife sharpening element is positioned at least partially between the interior surface and the fourth sharpening element; wherein the first knife sharpening element and the third knife sharpening element form a V-shape when the first removable cap is coupled to the first sharpening element holder and are configured to sharpen a first knife each time the first knife is removed from the first knife slot; wherein the second knife sharpening element and the fourth knife sharpening element form a V-shape when the second removable cap is coupled to the second sharpening element holder and are configured to sharpen a second knife each time the second knife is removed from the second knife slot; and wherein the first knife sharpening element is angled with respect to the third knife sharpening element, and the second knife sharpening element is angled with respect to the fourth discrete knife sharpening element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A cutlery set comprising:
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a first knife with a first blade having a first blade edge angle; a second knife with a second blade having a second blade edge angle; a knife block having a block body; at least a first storage slot and a second storage slot formed on a face of the block body; a removable block insert coupled to the block body; at least a first knife sharpener aligned with the first storage slot, the first knife sharpener comprising a first discrete knife sharpening element and a second discrete knife sharpening element adjacent to the first discrete knife sharpening element, wherein the first discrete knife sharpening element is positioned in a first sharpening element holder on an interior surface of the block insert, and the second discrete knife sharpening element is positioned in a first cavity of a first removable cap coupled to the first sharpening element holder, the first knife sharpener comprising a first V-shaped sharpener angle that is greater than the first blade edge angle when the first removable cap is coupled to the first sharpening element holder; and a second knife sharpener aligned with the second storage slot, the second knife sharpener comprising a third discrete knife sharpening element and a fourth discrete knife sharpening element adjacent to the third discrete knife sharpening element, wherein the third discrete knife sharpening element is positioned in a second sharpening element holder on the interior surface of the block insert, and the fourth discrete knife sharpening element is positioned in a second cavity of a second removable cap coupled to the second sharpening element holder, the second knife sharpener comprising a second V-shaped sharpener angle that is greater than the second blade edge angle when the second removable cap is coupled to the second sharpening element holder; wherein the first blade is sharpened by the first knife sharpener each time the first blade is inserted into the first storage slot, and the second blade is sharpened by the second knife sharpener each time the second blade is inserted into the second storage slot. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A cutlery set comprising:
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a knife block having a block body with a recessed portion; a set of knives including at least a first knife having a first blade and a second knife having a second blade; an array of storage slots including at least a first storage slot and a second storage slot formed on a face of the block body, the first storage slot specifically sized to receive the first blade and the second storage slot specifically sized to receive the second blade; a removable block insert positioned at least partially within the recessed portion of the block body, the block insert having at least a first sub-slot through the block insert aligned with the first storage slot and a second sub-slot through the block insert aligned with the second storage slot, wherein the block insert comprises a first sharpening element holder configured to receive a first knife sharpening element and a second sharpening element holder configured to receive a second knife sharpening element; a first removable cap with a first cavity configured to receive a third knife sharpening element, the first removable cap attached to the first sharpening element holder, such that the first knife sharpening element and the third knife sharpening element form a first knife sharpener with a first V-shaped angle when the first removable cap is coupled to the first sharpening element holder; and a second removable cap with a second cavity configured to receive a fourth knife sharpening element, the second removable cap attached to the second sharpening element holder, such that the second knife sharpening element and the fourth knife sharpening element form a second knife sharpener with a second V-shaped angle when the second removable cap is coupled to the second sharpening element holder; wherein the first knife sharpener is aligned with the first sub-slot and is arranged specifically to sharpen the first blade each time the first knife is inserted into or withdrawn from the first storage slot; and wherein the second knife sharpener is aligned with the second sub-slot and is arranged specifically to sharpen the second blade each time the second knife is inserted into or withdrawn from the second storage slot. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification