HK1010667B - Kitchen apparatus for cutting material, in particular fruits or vegetables - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a kitchen appliance for cutting goods, preferably fruit or vegetables, into strips, with a base plate on which there are cutting surfaces and between these cutting surfaces at least one series of knives, arranged essentially in a transverse direction, whose knives are openly formed with cutting edges at the height above the cutting surface and to the bottom of the base plate, the latter at least one series of knives being formed by upper cross-sections, the upper cross-sections forming the knives being beyond the cutting surfaces and each having a mainly central recess towards the base plate.

The use of a kitchen appliance of this type is known from EP-A-0 189 743. However, the known kitchen appliance can only cut very narrow strips, in accordance with its preferred function as a grating.

CH-A-137 164 also describes a food crushing machine which has a crushing organ with breaks and increments, the cutting organs being formed by lip-like increments protruding above a plane, shaped to give the desired shape to the material to be crushed, with at least a partial V-shaped cross-section.

The purpose of the invention is to provide a kitchen appliance which cuts thin but wider strips of the good, allowing a clean, guided diversion of the cut strip, cutting the cut strip particularly regularly.

This problem is solved by arranging at the intersections of the upper cross-sections at least two V-shaped socket nuts pointing towards the bottom of the base plate or at least two V-shaped socket nuts pointing towards the top of the base plate, with a space between them, which are adjusted to the size of the depression in both their vertical and horizontal extension in the direction of cut, whereby the at least two socket nuts pointing towards the bottom of the base plate or the space between the two socket nuts pointing towards the top of the base plate are essentially in the centre of the cut.

The subclaims give particular advantages in the embodiments of the invention.

The cutting edge of the cutting edge is made of a single sheet of cutting material, which is then cut into a single sheet of cutting material, and the cutting edge is made of a single sheet of cutting material.

The cut strip is thus precisely guided, even if it is wide and very thin.

This also makes the strip particularly regularly cut, as it avoids uncontrolled breaking or cutting of the strip in an undesirable place, which can be caused by an unoriented and thus uneven diversion of the individual strips only partially cut.

In addition, the conducting channels formed by the V-shaped connecting nuts create a structured surface on both the top and bottom of the cutting material which satisfies special aesthetic requirements.

It is particularly advantageous to have several starting nuts at the cutting edge pointing towards the bottom of the base plate, which creates several conducting channels, allowing for a more secure insertion of the depth into these conducting channels of the cutting rod. This is particularly important when a softer and less stable well is to be cut.

A similar effect is achieved by replacing the starting points pointing towards the bottom of the base plate with two or more starting points pointing towards the top of the base plate in two areas on the upper cross-sections, between which an intermediate space is defined in which no notes are generally provided.

In addition, however, in this space, there may be also be provided with starting nuts pointing towards the bottom of the base plate. The very strong height differences thus formed in the structure of the cut strip surface lead to a particularly marked interference of the depth into the structure created, thus enabling a very safe conduction of the cut material.

The intended notches can have the same horizontal and vertical extension as well as different vertical and/or horizontal extensions, which allows the shape of the conduit channels created in the cutting material to be adapted particularly precisely to the shape of the depth intended in the upper cross-sectional section, and thus offers many possibilities for the surface to be structured differently and thus to meet aesthetic requirements.

In a preferred layout, the minimum number of knife series shall be made up of a metal band formed by upper and lower cross-sections and these connecting side-sections shall be individually shaped in a meander, the lower cross-sections being arranged below the running surfaces and fixed in or on the base plate.

The lower cross-sections of the knife series are particularly preferable to be poured into the base plate and thus securely connected to the base plate of the kitchen appliance, thus eliminating any disruptive fasteners on the bottom of the kitchen appliance.

Another possible embodiment is the interchangeable fixing of the knife strip to the base plate, which allows different knife strips to be used as needed, for example to create differently structured surfaces, and the replacement of any damaged knives to prevent the entire high-quality kitchen appliance from becoming unusable in such cases.

The design of the knife series in the form of metal strips preferably corresponds to the width of an upper cross-section approximately equal to the width of a lower cross-section.

As an alternative to the design of a knife band, one or both sets of knives may be made up of individual knives, each inserted into or otherwise fixed to the base plate.

In another embodiment, the knife series is arranged at a 90° angle to the direction of cutting, but the cutting is still so arranged that the cutting takes place at a right angle to the direction of cutting. This has the advantage that the cutting material is not cut simultaneously over its entire width but continuously over narrower areas from side to side during a cutting operation. This means that less force is required when the cutting material is pushed over the running surfaces.

In another embodiment, two rows of blades are provided between the running surfaces, preferably in opposite rows, which allows uniform processing of the surface of the material to be cut, which, apart from the cut conduit channels, is essentially flat.

The upper cross-sections of the knife series are particularly preferable to double-cut blades, which make it particularly easy and quick to work the material, since the material can be moved back and forth between the working surfaces without having to be removed from the working surfaces.

It may be advantageous to make the contour of the base plate in the area of the knife series or in those areas where the knives are included in a slightly upward-pointing arch, so that a small angle of incision is achieved, for example, of a fruit.

The following illustrations illustrate examples of the invention. Figure 1a perspective, schematic overview of a first embodiment of a kitchen appliance according to the invention (in particular the structure of the knife series is only indicated here),Figure 2a general overview of an excerpt from a first embodiment of a knife strip according to the invention,Figure 3a side view of an excerpt from a first embodiment of a knife strip according to the invention,Figures 4, 5, 6, 7page views of excerpts from the knife strip according to other preferred embodiments.

Figure 1 shows a kitchen appliance of the invention, essentially consisting of a flat base plate 2 with two surfaces 4 and 6 on its top.

Between the cutting surfaces 4 and 6, there are mainly cutting-line 10 knife rows for cutting the product, especially fruit and vegetables, oriented in the direction A. Below the cutting rows 10 the base plate 2 has 8 breaks to carry the cut pieces to the bottom of the kitchen appliance. The cutting product is moved back and forth between the cutting surfaces 4 and 6 over the cutting rows 10 until the product is completely cut. The cutting product is fixed to a holding device for injury protection not shown here.

A series 10 knife consists of a preferred design of a curved, meander-shaped knife strip or metal band with upper cross-bars 12 and lower cross-bars 14 connected by side-bars.

Figure 2 shows in the overview a part of such a bar 10 with an upper cross-bar 12 and two lower cross-bars 14 connected to the upper cross-bars 12 by side-bars. In the upper cross-bar 12 of the bar bar a central depression 20 is arranged. In the upper cross-bar 12 two contact points 22 are incorporated between the cuts 16, 17 of the upper cross-bar, which are interrupted by depression 20.

Figure 3 shows in the side view more clearly the v-shaped starting knots 22 and the central depression 20 in the upper cross-sectional plane 12 which points to the bottom of the base plate in the case of the kitchen appliance.

Figure 4 shows another embodiment in which 22 additional starting points 24 are formed to the right and left of the starting points, pointing towards the bottom of base plate 2.

In the case of the embodiment shown in Figure 5, in addition to the two contact points pointing towards the top of the base plate, 28 additional contact points 26 are provided, which are arranged in two groups at the edges of the upper cross section 12 and define an intermediate space between these two groups.

Figure 6 shows an embodiment in which the additional starting knots 26 have a greater vertical extension than the starting knots 28. This gives a more structured and prominent appearance to the conduit cut into the strips into which the depth 20 enters after cutting the good.

Figure 7 shows a combination of two starting knots 22, 24 and 2 starting knots 26, 28 pointing towards the bottom of the base plate, and this arrangement of the 22, 24, 26, 28 knots results in a highly structured surface with a distinct conducting channel in the cut-off panels. The 22, 24, 26, 28 knots are approximately the same size, but they may also have quite different expansions. For example, the 28 starting knots can be enlarged in their vertical expansion to further increase the depth of the conducting channel.

All designs may also be equipped with a variety of individual gauges, each individually or in combination, which have the structural characteristics described above, in place of the strip or metal band, each gauge having suitable approaches for insertion or attachment to the base plate 2.

The operation of the kitchen appliance is explained below in the first embodiment of two consecutive and rearranged series of knives 10 shown in Figure 1.

The reversed arrangement of the upper cross-sections 12 of each of the strips 10 places one upper cross-section 12 of one stripe 10 in front of or behind a lower cross-section 14 of the other stripe 10.

The cutting tool is then placed on the cutting surface 4 and then cut in the direction A along the cutting strips to the cutting surface 6, cutting strips on the bottom of the tool. The rearrangement of the cutters makes the tool, once it has been completely cut on both knives to the cutting surface 6, almost flat again.

This prevents the strip from breaking or being cut prematurely by an undirected deflection, and the uniform strips of the cut material are cut out at the bottom of base plate 2 through the provided breaks 8.

The material is then alternately passed back and forth between the two surfaces 4 and 6 over the 10 series of blades until it is completely processed.

The invention applies to the processing of fruit and vegetables for aesthetic purposes in salads or similar dishes, e.g. for a buffet.

The features of the invention disclosed in the above description, drawing and claims may be either individually or in any combination essential to the realization of the invention.

List of reference marks

2 Base plate4, 6 Starting surfaces8 Breakthroughs through the base plate 210 Measuring series12 Upper cross-section14Lower cross-section16, 17 Cutting 20 Depth22 To the bottom of the base plate 2 Starting knots24 To the bottom of the base plate 2 Starting knots26 To the top of the base plate 2 Starting knots28 To the top of the base plate 2 Starting knots30 Intermediate space

Claims (15)

1. A kitchen implement for cutting food, preferably fruit or vegetables, in strips, comprising a baseplate (2), on the top of which there are provided guide surfaces (4, 6) and, between the latter, at least one row of cutters (10) disposed substantially transversely of the cutting direction (A), the cutters having cutting edges (16) which project in height beyond the guide surfaces (4, 6) and are open towards the underside of the baseplate (2), the at least one row of cutters (10) having a configuration such as to form top transverse webs (12), the top transverse webs (12) which form the cutters projecting beyond the guide surfaces (4, 6) and each having a substantially centrally disposed recess (20) in the direction of the underside of the baseplate (2), characterised in that

   - at the cutting edges (16) of the top transverse webs (12) there are provided at least two v-shaped guide grooves (22) pointing in the direction of the underside of the baseplate (2), or at least two v-shaped guide grooves (28) pointing in the direction of the top of the baseplate (2) and defining an intermediate space (30) between them, which guide grooves are adapted to the size of the recess (20) in both their vertical extent and in their horizontal extent as considered transversely of the cutting direction (A), the at least two guide grooves (22) which point in the direction of the underside of the baseplate (2), or the intermediate space (30) between the at least two guide grooves (28) pointing in the direction of the top of the baseplate being disposed substantially centrally in front of the recess (20) as considered in the cutting direction (A).
2. A kitchen implement according to claim 1, characterised in that additional guide grooves (24) pointing in the direction of the underside of the baseplate (2) are provided directly adjoining both sides of the at least two guide grooves (22) pointing in the direction of the underside of the baseplate or additional guide grooves (26) pointing in the direction of the top of the baseplate (2) are provided outside the intermediate space (30) directly adjoining the guide grooves (28) pointing in the direction of the top of the baseplate (2).
3. A kitchen implement according to claim 1, characterised in that there are provided both substantially centrally disposed guide grooves (22, 24) constructed in the direction of the underside of the baseplate (2) and also guide grooves (26, 28) formed on the outsides, adjoining said guide grooves (22, 24) in the direction of the top of the baseplate (2).
4. A kitchen implement according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the grooves. (22, 24, 26, 28) have the same horizontal and vertical extent.
5. A kitchen implement according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the guide grooves (22, 24, 26, 28) have different vertical and/or horizontal extents.
6. A kitchen implement according to claim 1, characterised in that the at least one row of cutters (10) is formed from a metal strip with the top transverse webs (12) and the bottom transverse webs (14) and side pieces which connect the same being formed in one piece meander-fashion, the bottom transverse webs (14) being disposed beneath the guide surfaces (4, 6) and being fixed in or on the baseplate (2).
7. A kitchen implement according to claim 6, characterised in that the bottom transverse webs (14) are cast into the baseplate (2) or firmly connected to the baseplate (2) of the kitchen implement by gluing, screwing, clamping or ultrasonic welding.
8. A kitchen implement according to claim 6 or 7, characterised in that the width of a top transverse web (12) corresponds approximately to the width of a bottom transverse web (14).
9. A kitchen implement according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the at least one row of cutters (10) is interchangeably fixed on the baseplate (2).
10. A kitchen implement according to claim 1, characterised in that the at least one row of cutters consists of a plurality of individual cutters.
11. A kitchen implement according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the alignment of the at least one row of cutters (10) with respect to the cutting direction (A) differs from a 90° angle, the cutting edges (16) being so aligned that the cutting fronts extend at a right angle to the cutting direction.
12. A kitchen implement according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that two rows of cutters (10) are disposed between the guide surfaces (4, 6).
13. A kitchen implement according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the two rows of cutters (10) are disposed in staggered rows.
14. A kitchen implement according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the top transverse webs (12) of the rows of cutters form double-edged cutters with cutting edges (16, 17).
15. A kitchen implement according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the contour of the baseplate (2) in the guide zone of the row or rows of cutters (10) has a curvature pointing in the direction of the top of the baseplate (2).