AU2007284061A1

AU2007284061A1 - Cheese grater and cheese block for use therewith

Info

Publication number: AU2007284061A1
Application number: AU2007284061A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Michael Joseph Grima; Rowan Charles Lamont
Original assignee: Fonterra Cooperative Group Ltd
Current assignee: Fonterra Cooperative Group Ltd
Priority date: 2006-08-15
Filing date: 2007-08-10
Publication date: 2008-02-21
Also published as: WO2008019426A1

Description

WO 2008/019426 PCT/AU2007/001129 -1 CHEESE GRATER AND CHEESE BLOCK FOR USE THEREWITH The present invention relates to a grater for cheese, and more particularly, but not exclusively, to a grater for a hard cheese. 5 Although there is available a variety of different forms of grater for parmesan, pecorino and other hard cheese, the present applicants have determined a need for a grater in which the cheese can conveniently be stored in a configuration for ready use. 10 According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a grater for a block of cheese, the grater comprising a cylindrical base having a grating head at an upper end thereof, and a cylindrical cover applicable over the base, the cover also serving to receive and engage a block of cheese whereby when the cover with a cheese block therein is assembled to the base, the cheese block will be engaged between the grating head and the 15 cover such that rotation of the cover on the base will rotate the cheese block against the grating head so that cheese gratings will be discharged through the head into the base. The cheese block may thereby be stored within the cover when applied to the base so that when the base is held in one hand, the cover can be rotated with the other hand to grate the 20 cheese into the base for direct discharge through an open lower end of the base. In a preferred embodiment although principally intended for use with hard cheese, it is also suitable for use with softer cheeses such as cheddar and the like. 25 A removable closure is preferably provided to close the lower end of the base and the cheese block may also be pre-packaged or stored within the base with the closure and cover applied thereto. Preferably the lower end portion of the base is configured to provide a hand grip. 30 Advantageously, the cover includes at the underside of its upper end, structure to engage WO 2008/019426 PCT/AU2007/001129 -2 the upper end face of the cheese block for rotation therewith. Such structure may be in the form of an array of ribs, preferably configured to centre the block within the cover. Advantageously, the cover engages the base with screw-threaded engagement so that as the 5 cover is rotated on the base it is advanced along the base at a predetermined rate whereby the cover itself drives the cheese block against the grating head during grating rotation. Advantageously, the threaded engagement between the cover and base is effected by threaded formations on both and which are configured in such a manner as to enable the 10 cover to be pushed onto or removed from the base by axial movement relative thereto and thus without undergoing rotation. In one preferred embodiment, this is achieved by forming at least one set of threads on resilient tabs which, when the cover is pushed over the base, are able to deflect with a ratchet type action upon engagement with the other set of threads. Conveniently the resilient tabs are incorporated on the base although they 15 could alternatively be incorporated on the cover or even both the base and cover. When the cover is fully mounted on the base, at least a substantial part of the base is enclosed within the cover. In that condition the cover and base will no longer be in screw threaded engagement and the cheese block-engaging structure at the underside of the end 20 of the cover will be closely adjacent to, but spaced above, the grating head. Advantageously, the grating head includes an upstanding projection on the axis of the base and engageable into the lower face of a .cheese block within the cover to ensure that the cheese block is held centrally for rotation on the axis of the base during rotation of the 25 cover also about that axis. This assists the block in achieving maximum surface contact with the grater. Particularly advantageously, the grating head is of a domed shape and the structure at the underside of the cover to engage the upper face of the cheese block is of a matching 30 concave shape. This ensures virtually complete usage of the entire cheese block.

WO 2008/019426 PCT/AU2007/001129 -3 The present invention also provides a block of cheese of rectangular shape intended for use with the cheese grater as defined above, the block being of such a size that it can fit within the base and, when the cover is removed from the base, it can fit into the interior of the cover to lie between the cover and the grating head. 5 Particularly advantageously, the block is of square cross-section having a width within the range of 30 to 35mm and a length within the range 80 to 85mm. These dimensions are related to corresponding diameter and length dimensions of the grater to ensure that the grater is able to be gripped comfortably in the hand and is stable. 10 An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the three component parts of a grater in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention, specifically a base, a 15 closure for the lower end of the base, and a cover; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the base; Figure 3 is a longitudinal section through the base; Figure 4 is a longitudinal section through the grater with the cover applied to the base to its maximum extent -Figure 4A shows an enlarged detail of Figure 4; 20 Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, but showing the cover applied to the base in a condition in which a cheese block is held within the cover against a grating head of the base; Figure 6 is a longitudinal section of the cover; Figure 7 is an underneath view of the cover; 25 Figure 7A is a view similar to Figure 7 but showing an alternative configuration of ribs within the domed end of the cover; and Figure 8 is a perspective view showing the grater with a new (ungrated) cheese block within the cover and the cover applied to the base to commence grating. 30 The grater in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a base 2 in the form of a generally cylindrical body, the interior of which forms a container in WO 2008/019426 PCT/AU2007/001129 -4 which a cheese block may be packaged and stored prior to sale to a consumer. The upper end of the base 2 is domed and forms a grating head 4 having an array of grating apertures across its outer face. The lower end of the base 2 is stepped outwardly for improved stability and to provide a hand grip portion 6, the surface of which is profiled and/or 5 textured to facilitate an effective grip. The lower end of the base 2 is open to permit access into the interior of the base and is closable by a removable cap 8. As shown, the cap 8 is a press-fit into the interior of the hand grip portion 6 although other forms of closure could alternatively be used. An outer cover 10 also of cylindrical form is engageable over the base 2 with a relatively close fit to enclose substantially the entirety of the base as far as 10 the hand grip portion 6. The cover 10 is also domed at its upper end and in the fully engaged position of the cover on the base 2, the lower end of the outer cover 10 is seated against the hand grip portion 6, with the underside of its domed end lying closely adjacent to the grating head 4 (see Figure 4). 15 The base 2 is formed with a series of angularly spaced threaded zones 12 of limited axial extent (see Figure 2). Each of the threaded zones 12 is formed at the end of a resiliently deflectable tab 14 which is formed as an integral part of the base. The embodiment shown has four such tabs 14 equally-angularly spaced around the axis of the base. The cover 10 is formed on its inner surface with threaded zones 16 (see Figure 6) also angularly spaced 20 and extending from the lower end of the cover to the upper part of the cover but terminating short of the upper end of the cylindrical wall of the cover as is clearly shown in Figure 6. The configuration of the threaded zones 16 on the cover relative to those, 12, on the base is such that when the cover is fully engaged with the base such that its lower end is seated against the hand grip portion 6, the upper ends of the threaded zones 16 of the 25 cover will be slightly beneath, and thereby disengaged from, the lower ends of the threaded zones 12 of the base; this is shown in the detailed view of Figure 4A. The grater is designed principally for use with a block of hard cheese such as parmesan or similar although it is suitable for somewhat softer cheeses, such as cheddar or similar. The 30 block is of rectangular shape of square cross-section and of a length and width such that it can fit into the interior of the base 2. In this regard it is envisaged that the grater will WO 2008/019426 PCT/AU2007/001129 -5 normally be supplied with a block of cheese wrapped and pre-packaged into the base 2, with replacement cheese blocks of the same size being available for use when the original block has been used. 5 To use the grater, the cap 8 or other closure is removed from the base 2, the cheese block is removed and unwrapped, the cover 10 is removed, and the cylindrical cheese block is placed into the cover with the cover inverted. It will be seen from the drawings that the underside of the domed end of the cover 10 is formed with an array of ribs 20 which define a concave undersurface having a curvature which corresponds to that of the domed grating 10 head 4. Although as shown, the ribs 20 are somewhat curved in shape (this is particularly apparent in Figure 7), that is not essential and other rib profiles can be used. Figure 7A illustrates ribs with a straight profile which may be preferred for ease of manufacture; however, the undersurface of the ribs is still concave to correspond to the curvature of the grating head. 15 In order to then grate the cheese, the base 2 is inverted and pushed into the cover 10 until its threaded zones 12 engage the threaded zones 16 of the base 10 and the cheese block is firmly held between the ribs 20 of the cover and the grating head 4. This condition is shown in Figure 8 in which the cheese block is designated B and the grater is shown in an 20 upright configuration for use. The ribs 20 engage the upper end of the cheese block for rotation with the cover 10 and also tend, by virtue of their concave configuration to centre the block within the cover. By rotating the cover 10 relative to the base 2, the lower end of the cheese block will be driven in rotation across the domed grating head 4 and thereby grated, with the gratings passing into the base 2 for direct discharge through its open lower 25 end. The rotation of the cover 10 will, as a result of its screw threaded engagement with the base 2, be driven downwardly along the base as the cheese block is progressively depleted by grating, to thereby maintain a tight contact of the lower end of the cheese block with the domed grating head 4. 30 After each usage the cheese block can be maintained stored between the cover and the base, with the closure cap 8 possibly being reinserted into the lower end of the base to WO 2008/019426 PCT/AU2007/001129 -6 maintain freshness. Alternatively, for longer term storage the cover could be detached from the base, and the cheese block removed and stored in the base with the cap in position and the cover applied to the base to maintain freshness. 5 As previously noted, the threads on the base and cover are each within angularly spaced zones 12, 16. The configurations of the threaded zones 12, 16 is such that each threaded zone 16 of the cover will always be in contact with a threaded zone 12 of the base when the axial position of the cover on the base is such that threaded engagement is able to take place (it will be understood in this regard that threaded engagement will not take place 10 when the lower end of the cover is at the upper end of the base or when it is fully inserted onto the base and seated against the hand grip portion 6). Although the engagement between the two sets of threads is not continuous around the circumference of the base/cover nevertheless it is sufficient to drive the cover and cheese block within the cover downwardly as the cover is rotated during grating. However due to the absence of non 15 continuous threads in engagement and also due to the formation of the threaded zones 12 on the resilient tabs 14, the cover can be mounted onto or removed from the base by a simple push/pull action in which the threaded zones 16 of the cover ride over those, 12, of the base with a ratchet-like action and hence without the need to screw the cover onto or off the base. Accordingly, for example, with the cover fully mounted over the base in the 20 position shown in Figure 1, it can quickly be removed by pulling it off the base by simple axial movement and can similarly be pushed back into that position after use. Likewise, if the cover is pushed.back onto the base with a partially-used cheese block within the cover, the threads of the cover will ride over those of the base until the bottom of the cheese block engages the grating head 4 at which point the engagement of the threads will act to drive 25 the cover with cheese block further downwards upon rotation of the cover during a grating action. During grating, the cheese block will progressively deplete at its lower end. In the fully depleted condition, the undersurfaces of the ribs 20 of the cover will lie closely adjacent to 30 the domed grating head 4 of the base to which they are parallel, as shown in Figure 1. In this condition the threaded zones 16 of the cover have moved downwardly beyond those, WO 2008/019426 PCT/AU2007/001129 -7 12, of the base with its lower end seated against the hand grip portion 6 whereby the cover can still rotate but rotation will not result in it being screwed tight onto the base and also the ribs 20 cannot engage the grating head 4. 5 The domed shape of the grating head 4 and the correspondingly shaped undersurface formed by the ribs 20 on the cover provides, as the cheese block is nearing depletion, a grating action which tends to ensure that virtually the entirety of the cheese block is able to be used with very little residual amount remaining when the cover is in its lowermnost position. Although a cheese grater in accordance with the broad principles of this 10 invention could be made with a substantially planar grating head, with the undersurface of the ribs of the cover being similarly planar, such a configuration may result in somewhat greater amounts of cheese remaining as small lumps in the lowermost position of the cover and for this reason the domed grating head and related structure is preferred. 15 The grating apertures are distributed across the surface of the grating head 4 in an array which ensures that the entirety of the undersurface of the cheese block is grated during rotation thereof without creating ridges of ungrated material and which might break off as small lumps which may become detached from the block and fall to one side of the grating head and thereby remain after the block has been depleted. While suitable arrays of 20 grating apertures which achieve this effect can be determined empirically, in the embodiment shown the array is an adaptation of a spiral. Preferably the grating apertures have a chisel edge whereby the cheese is shredded into a form particularly suitable for direct application onto prepared meals. This form of grating aperture suits not only hard cheese but also softer cheeses. 25 The grating head 4 also includes at its centre (and thereby on the axis of the base) a projecting spike 22 which engages into the end of the cheese block so that the lower end of the block is securely located relative to the axis of rotation of the cover. It is however to be understood that it is not a requirement in the operation of the grater for the axis of the 30 cheese block to be exactly coaxial with that of the cover. Rather, engagement of the lower face of the cheese block with the axial spike 22 will ensure that the cheese block will be WO 2008/019426 PCT/AU2007/001129 -8 rotated about the central axis of the grater albeit, in some cases, with a degree of eccentricity. For ease of handling of the grater, an important balance has to be struck between achieving 5 a diameter which is able to be comfortably gripped which thereby effectively limits the diameter, and a height or length which ensures that stability is still maintained when stood on its base with the cheese block stored within the cover and this means that there is an effective limit also on the height dimension. These dimensions, in turn, will determine the size of the cheese block, as will now be described. 10 Considering now the cheese block B, while it is produced in a conventional manner, it is of a shape directly related to the design of the grater both in terms of its storage within the base and the grating operation. In practice the grater will be designed for use with a cheese block of from 95 to 105 grams in weight. A range of block sizes to achieve that will have 15 a width range of from 30 to 35mm for each side of the block and a length range of from 80 to 85mm. In practice all of the components of the grater will be produced in suitable plastics materials determined by the function a particular component has to perform. The plastics 20 used should preferably be "dishwasher safe'" to permit multiple usage with replacement cheese blocks. The cover may be transparent (as illustrated in Figure 8) whereby the cheese block is visible within the cover and thereby a consumer is able readily to determine how much cheese remains. Alternatively, however, the cover may be opaque and in that case the position of the cover on the base itself will provide a visual 25 determination particularly as the lower end of the cover approaches the hand grip portion. In practice, for aesthetic considerations the opaque cover is preferred. The base itself may be transparent or opaque according to design considerations. The grater is hygienic in use, and easy to use. 30 The embodiment has been described by way of example only and modifications are WO 2008/019426 PCT/AU2007/001129 -9 possible within the scope of the invention. Throughout this specification and claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will 5 be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.

Claims

1. A grater for a block of cheese, the grater comprising a cylindrical base having a grating head at an upper end thereof, and a cylindrical cover applicable over the base, the 5 cover also serving to receive and engage a block of cheese whereby when the cover with a cheese block therein is assembled to the base, the cheese block will be engaged between the grating head and the cover such that rotation of the cover on the base will rotate the cheese block against the grating head so that cheese gratings will be discharged through the head into the base. 10

2. A grater according to claim 1, wherein the lower end portion of the base is configured to provide a hand grip so that when the base is held in one hand, the cover can be rotated with the other hand to grate the cheese into the base for direct discharge through an open lower end of the base. 15

3. A grater according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the cover includes at the underside of its upper end, structure to engage the upper end face of the cheese block for rotation therewith. 20

4. A grater according to claim 3, wherein the structure is in the form of an array of ribs configured to centre the block within the cover.

5. A grater according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the cover engages the base with screw-threaded engagement so that as the cover is rotated on the base it is advanced 25 along the base at a predetermined rate whereby the cover drives the cheese block against the grating head during grating rotation.

6. A grater according to claim 5, wherein the threaded engagement between the cover and base is effected by threaded formations on both and which are configured in such a 30 manner as to enable the cover to be pushed onto or removed from the base by axial movement relative thereto and without undergoing rotation. WO 2008/019426 PCT/AU2007/001129 -11

7. A grater according to claim 6, wherein at least one set of threads is formed on resilient tabs which, when the cover is pushed axially over the base, are able to deflect with a ratchet type action upon engagement with the other set of threads. 5

8. A grater according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein in the fully mounted position of the cover on the base, at least a substantial part of the base is enclosed within the cover, and the cover and base are no longer in screw-threaded engagement. 10

9. A grater according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the grating head includes an upstanding projection on the axis of the base and engageable into the lower face of a cheese block within the cover to maintain the cheese block for rotation on the axis of the base during rotation of the cover also about that axis. 15

10. A grater according to claim 3 or any claim dependent on claim 3, wherein the grating head is of a domed shape and the structure at the underside of the cover to engage the upper face of the cheese block is of a matching concave shape whereby the underside of the cover can move, during grating of the cheese block, into close proximity to the grating head to thereby enable substantially complete usage of the entire cheese block. 20

11. A grater for a block of cheese, the grater comprising a cylindrical base having a grating head at an upper end thereof, and a cylindrical cover applicable over the base, the cover also serving to receive and engage a block of cheese whereby when the cover with a cheese block therein is assembled to the base, the cheese block will be engaged between 25 the grating head and the cover, wherein the cover engages the base with screw-threaded engagement so that as the cover is rotated on the base it drives the cheese block against the grating head during grating rotation so that cheese gratings will be discharged through the head and into the base for discharge through an open end thereof, and the threaded engagement between the cover and base is effected by threaded formations on both and 30 which are configured ,in such a manner as to enable the cover to be pushed onto or removed from the base by axial movement relative thereto without undergoing rotation. WO 2008/019426 PCT/AU2007/001129 -12

12. A grater according to any one of claims 1 to 11 having a removable closure to close, the lower end of the base whereby the cheese block may be stored within the base with the closure and cover applied thereto. 5

13. A block of cheese of rectangular shape intended for use with the cheese grater according to claim 12, the block being of such a size that it can fit within the base and, when the cover is removed from the base, it can fit into the interior of the cover to lie between the cover and the grating head. 10

14. A cheese block according to claim 13, wherein the block is of square cross-section having a width within the range of 30 to 35mm and a length within the range 80 to 85mm.