Manual device for cutting vegetables.

专利摘要:
Manual apparatus for slicing salad (A) comprising: a frame (1) provided with a cutting grid (2), positioning means (6) of the frame on at least one support, the apparatus further comprising: a guide well (3) having a lower end extending opposite said cutting grid (2) and adjacent thereto, a vegetable pusher (4) slidably mounted along at least one column (5) fixed to the frame (1) to extend parallel to the well (3), said vegetable pusher device comprising a body (4.1) shaped so that it engages in the well (3) to push the vegetable through the cutting grid (2). Fig. : 1
公开号:FR3092030A1
申请号:FR1900885
申请日:2019-01-30
公开日:2020-07-31
发明作者:Christian Diabas
申请人:D'ETUDES ET DE REALISATION MECANIQUES Ste；Soc Detudes Et De Realisation Mecaniques；
IPC主号:

专利说明:

[0001] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] In the culinary field and in particular in the field of collective or fast catering, it is common to garnish dishes or dishes such as sandwiches with cut lettuce leaves. Usually, the leaves are removed one by one from the lettuce and then manually cut into fragments using a knife. The fragments of lettuce leaves are then washed and drained before being arranged, for example in the sandwich, on the plate or the presentation dish. All of these operations are both very time-consuming and risky for the operator, for whom the risk of cuts is high when cutting the sheets with the knife.
[0003] It should be noted that manual or automatic vegetable cutters intended for cutting vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, tomatoes or others are not suitable for cutting salad, the shape and texture of which can be very different. depending on the variety (for example, very firm and spherical for Iceberg lettuces, oblong in shape for endives or more tender and flat for escarole or batavia leaves, etc.). In addition, lettuce is a product that cannot be sliced, chopped or grated without deteriorating its appearance and taste.
[0004] Thus, in order to simplify the operation of cutting lettuce leaves into fragments, manual devices called “salad cutters” have been developed. These devices are traditionally made up of a frame in which is embedded a cutting grid and a press lever allowing the lettuce to be pressed against the cutting grid. The lettuce leaf fragments are then recovered, after the lettuce has passed through the cutting grid, directly on the work surface or in a container placed under the salad cutter. By way of example, mention may be made of the apparatus described in the document US-A-2018/169880. This device comprises a cutting grid set in a frame fitted with four feet placed on the work surface, the device also comprises a lever arm intended to press the lettuce against the cutting grid. The lettuce is cut as it passes through the grid, the leaf fragments thus obtained then being collected under the device by the operator, either directly on the work surface or in a container. The operator must then wash the fragments of lettuce leaves and then wring them out, which adds additional time-consuming manipulations that are likely to damage the product.
[0005] In addition, the use of this type of device always presents risks for the operator. Although no longer using a knife, the operator must place the lettuce stalk directly on the cutting grid then activate the lever arm to push the lettuce through the grid. For this last operation to be carried out correctly, it is essential that the lettuce stalk be immobile on the grid, which under the pressure of the lever arm and depending on the shape and texture of the lettuce stalk is not always the case. . The operator is therefore tempted to stabilize the stalk of lettuce on the grid by holding it with one of his hands and, with his other hand, to activate the lever arm, thus generating significant risks of crushing and cutting of the hand which holds the salad, and this all the more so as the number of salads to be prepared in a short time is important, which is particularly the case for fast food restaurants.
[0006] OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
[0007] One object of the invention is to provide a means of cutting lettuce that limits the risk of injury to the operator.
[0008] To this end, provision is made, according to the invention, for a manual device for cutting lettuce, comprising a frame provided with a cutting grid and means for positioning said frame on at least one support. Said apparatus further comprises a guide well having a lower end extending facing said cutting grid and adjacent thereto, and a vegetable pushing device mounted to slide along at least one column fixed to the built to extend parallel to the well. The vegetable pushing device comprises a body shaped in such a way that it engages in the well to push the vegetable through the cutting grid.
[0009] Thus, the salad to be cut is placed inside the guide well and is held there by the edges of the well when it is pressed against the cutting grid by the vegetable pusher. Not only does the operator no longer need to hold the lettuce while cutting it, but it is also impossible to hold the lettuce to be cut against the grid with one hand.
[0010] Advantageously, the vegetable pushing device of the device is arranged to slide only when substantially identical forces are exerted downwards on said device.
[0011] Not only is it difficult to introduce the hand into the guide well, but it is also complicated to exert on the vegetable-pusher device with one hand substantially identical efforts downwards. The operator is therefore forced for proper operation of the device to introduce the lettuce into the guide well and to operate the vegetable pusher with both hands, which eliminates any risk of crushing or cutting.
[0012] Preferably, the vegetable pusher device comprises at least two handles, said handles being arranged on either side of the body of said vegetable pusher device.
[0013] Advantageously, the vegetable pushing device slides along at least two columns extending parallel to the well on either side of the latter.
[0014] Advantageously, the underside of the body of the vegetable pushing device coming into contact with the vegetable to be cut is provided with complementary reliefs of the grid.
[0015] Preferably, the cutting grid and / or the guide well of the manual device for cutting the salad are removable.
[0016] Preferably again, the positioning means of the manual device for cutting the salad according to the invention are shaped so as to accommodate the edges of a container and / or to be placed directly on a work surface.
[0017] Advantageously, the positioning means comprise a groove able to engage on an edge of a container.
[0018] Advantageously again, the positioning means are removable feet or not, preferably the positioning means are removable feet.
[0019] According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the positioning means are constituted both by at least one groove capable of receiving the edges of a container and both by feet, removable or not, arranged to bear on a work surface.
[0020] In accordance with the invention, there is also provided an assembly for processing a vegetable, comprising a vegetable spinner and a manual device according to the invention, said vegetable spinner comprising a container inside which is rotatably mounted a wringing basket and said device having positioning means arranged to rest on an upper edge of said container.
[0021] Advantageously, the positioning means comprise a groove able to engage on the edge of the container.
[0022] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent on reading the following description of a preferred non-limiting embodiment of the invention.
[0023] Reference will be made to the attached drawings, among which:
[0024] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of the assembly according to the invention positioned on a container and with the vegetable pushing device in the high position,
[0025] Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of the assembly according to the invention positioned on a container with the vegetable pushing device in the low position, that is to say against the grid;
[0026] Figure 3 is a schematic sectional view of the assembly according to the invention positioned on a container with the vegetable pushing device in the high position;
[0027] Figure 4 is a schematic perspective view of a salad cutter device according to the invention and comprising the feet to be placed on a worktop.
[0028] With reference to Figures 1 to 4, the invention relates to a manual device for cutting salad.
[0029] The manual device A comprises a frame 1 provided with a cutting grid 2. The frame 1 is here made of cast aluminum and has substantially a triangular shape. An opening is made in the center of the frame 1 and a cutting grid 2 is fixed in said opening.
[0030] Preferably, the cutting grid 2 comprises cutting blades arranged in such a way that they form a grid allowing the salad to be cut to the desired dimensions. A person skilled in the art will be able to determine the area of the cutting grid 2 necessary as well as the size of the mesh according to the size of the sheet fragments that he wishes to obtain. Conventionally, the cutting grid 2 here has a mesh size of approximately 25 mm × 25 mm. Preferably, the cutting grid 2 is fixed to the frame 1 in a removable manner and the device comprises several cutting grids 2 with meshes of different sizes which can be alternately mounted on the frame 1. The removable fixing of the grid cutting 2 also facilitates cleaning.
[0031] The device according to the invention also comprises a guide well 3 open at both ends. The lower end of the guide well 3 extends facing said cutting grid and adjacent to the latter. More precisely, the lower end of the guide well 3 extends around the cutting grid 2 and is fixed to an upper face of the frame 1 in a removable manner. The lower end here comprises an outer rim engaged under abutments projecting from the upper face of the frame 1. The upper end of the guide well 3 is also open. A person skilled in the art will know how to define the shape and dimensions of the upper end of the guide well 3 so that any type of lettuce can be easily placed therein, whatever its shape and dimensions. He will also know how to determine the height of the guide well 3 so that it is not easy for the operator to place his hand there. Here, the guide shaft 3 has the shape of a tube with a height of 115 mm, the ends of which are both identical, circular in shape with a diameter of 174 mm.
[0032] According to the invention, the appliance further comprises a vegetable-pusher device 4 mounted to slide along at least one column 5 fixed to the frame 1 to extend parallel to the guide well 3. Here the vegetable-pusher device 4 is slidably mounted on two columns 5 as shown in Figures 1 to 4.
[0033] The columns 5 are here made of metal, for example a stainless steel, and are fixed on the upper face of the frame 1 and on either side of the guide well 3 in positions diametrically opposed to each other. The height of the columns 5 is determined in such a way that the vegetable pushing device 4 can have a high position in which the vegetable pushing device 4 extends above the upper end of the guide well 3 leaving with this last a passage of sufficient height to allow the operator to introduce the vegetable to be prepared in the guide well 3 via its upper end. The vegetable pusher device 4 also has a low position as illustrated more particularly in FIG. 2, in which the vegetable pusher device 4 bears against the cutting grid 2. In order to reinforce the rigidity of the columns 5 during the handling of the vegetable pushing device 4 between its two positions, in particular in order to avoid any phenomenon of bending of the columns 5, these are connected at their top by a crosspiece 5.1 having ends each provided with a hole receiving the upper end of one of the columns 5. This crosspiece 5.1 is removable and makes it possible to completely remove the vegetable pusher device 4, for example for its cleaning.
[0034] The vegetable pushing device 4 comprises a body 4.1 which is shaped so that it engages in the guide well 3 to push the vegetable through the cutting grid 2 and which is surmounted by a support 4.2. The body 4.1 here has a circular shape identical to that of the guide well 3, with an outer diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the guide well 3. The body 4.1 is made of any hard material suitable for food contact, this may for example be plastic or stainless steel. Preferably, the underside of the body 4.1 of the vegetable pushing device 4 which comes into contact with the vegetable to be cut is provided with reliefs complementary to the cutting grid 2. The reliefs thus produced make it possible to press the vegetable evenly against cutting grid 2 until it passes completely through cutting grid 2.
[0035] The body 4.1 of the vegetable pusher device 4 is removably fixed to the center of the support 4.2. The support 4.2 has substantially the shape of a bridge extending between the two columns 5 and having ends mounted to slide along the columns 5. Here, the support 4.2 has ends each provided with a tubular sleeve 4.3 in which one of the columns 5 is slidably engaged. As a safety measure, the high position of the vegetable-pusher device 4 can be blocked thanks to a retractable locking system like a ball carried by the support 4.2. In other words, when no effort is exerted on the vegetable pushing device 4, the latter remains in the position in which it is.
[0036] Preferably, the support 4.2 comprises, at each of its ends, a side handle 4.4 extending perpendicularly to the columns 5 in the extension of the support 4.2. The operator can thus place his two hands respectively on each of the handles 4.4 on either side of the support 4.2 and therefore of the body 4.1 and thus exert substantially identical forces from top to bottom on each of the handles 4.4. Preferably, the columns 5 and the vegetable pushing device 4 are assembled in such a way that if the forces exerted on each handle 4.4 are not substantially identical, for example if the operator uses only one of the two handles 4.4 , the support 4.2 tends to tilt relative to the columns 5 causing a wedging phenomenon which blocks the vegetable-pusher device 4 by preventing it from sliding along the columns 5. The operator is thus constrained to operate the salad cutter device to use both hands to exert substantially identical forces on each of the handles 4.4 of the vegetable pusher device 4, therefore limiting the risk of crushing his hands. In addition, preferably, in the high position, the support 4.2 adjoins the crosspiece 5.1 forcing the operator to use the handles 4.4 to manipulate the vegetable pusher device 4, and thus to use both hands.
[0037] Once the salad has been cut, the vegetable-pusher device 4 is raised from the low position to the high position by exerting substantially identical forces from the bottom upwards.
[0038] The apparatus according to the invention further comprises means 6 for positioning the frame 1 on at least one support. Referring to Figure 1, the positioning means 6 are shaped so as to accommodate the edges of a container B. Here, the underside of the frame 1 has a groove 8 shaped so that it marries at least in parts the edges of the container B. Those skilled in the art will know how to adapt the width and the depth of the groove so that the device and the container B are wedged relative to each other, in particular when handling of the vegetable pusher device 4. The container B can be a bowl or a tray intended to recover the fragments of lettuce leaves. Advantageously, the container B is part of a vegetable spinner and receives a spinner basket in rotation. Thus, the operator will position the salad cutter device with the vegetable pushing device 4 in the high position, on the container B of the wringer so that the edge of the wringer enters the groove 8 formed in the underside of the frame 1. The operator then places the vegetable to be cut, for example a stalk of lettuce in the guide well 3 then places his hands on either side of the vegetable-pusher device 4 on each handle 4.4 and exerts with both hands substantially identical efforts from top to bottom until the vegetable pushing device 4 pushes the lettuce against the cutting grid 2 which then cuts the leaves into fragments. The leaf fragments fall directly into the rotating wringer basket. The operator will thus be able to finalize quickly, without risk and by limiting handling, the preparation of the salad and the garnish of the dish or dish.
[0039] Thus, the present invention also relates to the assembly for processing a vegetable, as illustrated by FIG. 1 to 3, comprising the vegetable spinner and the salad cutter device.
[0040] According to an alternative embodiment as illustrated by FIG. 4, the invention relates to a salad cutter device as previously described, the positioning means 6 of which are feet 7 that may or may not be removable. According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the feet 7 are here three in number fixed on the underside of the frame 1 at each of the corners of the triangle formed by said frame 1. The fixing of the feet 7 on the frame 1 is here produced by the interlocking of two complementary shapes, one, the male part, present at the upper end of each foot 7, the other, the female part being formed in the underside of the frame 1, the male part of the foot 7 fitting into the female part of the frame 1. The opposite end of the feet 7 is placed directly on the work surface. Advantageously, the feet can be fitted with a suction cup, thus reinforcing the grip of the salad cutter device on the work surface and its stability during operation. A person skilled in the art will know how to find the means for fixing the legs 7 to the work surface if necessary for the stability of the salad cutter device when it is in use. For example, the ends of the legs placed on the worktop can be equipped with legs screwed directly into the worktop.
[0041] According to a third variant of the invention, the salad cutter apparatus comprises positioning means 6 constituted both by at least one groove 8 capable of receiving the edges of a container and both by feet 7, removable or no, arranged to rest on a work surface, as previously described. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the legs 7 of the salad cutter device are removable. Thus, the operator can, depending on his needs, either remove the legs and place the salad cutter A directly on a container B, or use the legs 7 and place the salad cutter A on the work surface , and for example place a dish underneath to collect the leaf fragments.
[0042] Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiment described but encompasses any variant falling within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.
[0043] In particular, the cutting grid 2 can also be made using metal wires that are sufficiently taut so that the vegetable leaves can be cut by said wires when the leaves are pressed there by the vegetable pusher device.
[0044] The guide well is here cylindrical but it could also take another form: cubic, parallelepipedal, frustoconical, etc. so that the lower end of the well is substantially covered by the cutting grid and that the body of the vegetable pushing device can engage in the well via its upper end.
[0045] The guide well 3 can be fixed to the frame 1 by any other means, either permanently or, preferably, removable. A person skilled in the art will be able to use the most suitable fixing means, thus and by way of example, the guide shaft 3 can be screwed to the frame 1, it can also be fixed to the frame 1 by flanges or by association of at least a pair of two pieces of complementary shapes, one of which is on the frame 1 and the other on the lower end of the guide shaft 3, or by sliding a rail in a gutter. The lower end of the guide well 3 preferably extends around the cutting grid 2. Alternatively, the lower end of the guide well 3 has a cross-section smaller than the surface of the cutting grid 2. Indeed, the less space there will be between the periphery of the cutting grid 2 and the interior of the lower end of the guide well 3, the more the vegetable will be cut in its entirety.
[0046] The cutting grid 2 and the guide well 3 can be secured to one another, the assembly thus formed being attached in a removable manner to the frame 1.
[0047] In particular, the change from the low position of the vegetable pushing device when it is against the cutting grid to its high position when it is in its furthest position is here manual but it could be carried out automatically, for example at using a spring which would be stretched when the vegetable pushing device is in the low position and compressed when the vegetable pushing device is in the high position.
[0048] In particular, the positioning means on the container are here formed by a groove on the underside of the frame, but they can also be clamps or clips or this can be achieved by inserting lugs into holes provided for this purpose or by complementarity of male/female parts.
[0049] In particular, in a second variant of the invention, the positioning means are here formed by three feet, which is necessary to obtain the stability of the salad cutter device, but the positioning means can consist of four feet or more when the salad cutter device is stable in operation.
[0050] The feet can comprise a flat lower surface in which is provided a groove allowing the feet either to rest on a work surface by their lower surface or on the edge of a container by the bottom of the groove.
[0051] In this text, “vegetable” or “salad” means any vegetable whose leaves are eaten. By way of example, we can cite salads such as chicory (chicory, endive, escarole, frisee, etc.), lettuce (head lettuce, batavia, iceberg lettuce, oak leaf, etc.) but also other vegetables such as spinach, chard leaves, cabbage….

权利要求:
Claims (14)
[0001]
Manual apparatus for cutting salad (A) comprising:a frame (1) provided with a cutting grid (2), positioning means (6) of the frame on at least one support, characterized in that the apparatus further comprises:a guide well (3) having a lower end extending facing said cutting grid (2) and adjacent to the latter, a vegetable pusher device (4) mounted to slide along at least one column (5) fixed to the frame to extend parallel to the guide well, said vegetable pusher device comprising a body (4.1) shaped so that 'it engages in the guide well to push the vegetable through the cutting grid (2).
[0002]
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vegetable pushing device (4) is arranged to slide only when substantially identical forces are exerted downwards, with both hands, on said device.
[0003]
Appliance according to Claims 1 and 2, in which the vegetable pushing device (4) comprises at least two handles (4.4), the said handles being arranged on either side of the body (4.1).
[0004]
Appliance according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, in which the vegetable pushing device (4) slides along at least two columns (5) extending parallel to the guide well (3) on either side other of this one.
[0005]
Apparatus according to claims 1 to 4, in which the underside of the body (4.1) of the vegetable pushing device coming into contact with the vegetable to be cut is provided with reliefs complementary to the cutting grid (2).
[0006]
Apparatus according to claims 1 to 5, wherein the cutting grid (2) and/or the guide well (3) are removable.
[0007]
Appliance according to Claims 1 to 6, in which the positioning means (6) are shaped in such a way as to receive the edges of a container (B) and/or to be placed directly on a work surface.
[0008]
Apparatus according to claim 7, in which the positioning means (6) comprise a groove (8) able to engage on an edge of a container (B).
[0009]
Apparatus according to claim 7, in which the positioning means (6) are removable or non-removable feet (7).
[0010]
Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the positioning means (6) are removable feet (7).
[0011]
Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9, in which the positioning means (6) consist both of at least one groove (8) able to receive the edges of a container (B) and both by feet, removable (7) or not, arranged to rest on a work surface.
[0012]
Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the lower end of the guide well (3) extends around the cutting grid (2).
[0013]
Assembly for processing a vegetable, comprising a vegetable spinner and an apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, the vegetable spinner comprising a container (B) inside which is rotatably mounted a basket of wringing and the device has positioning means (6) arranged to rest on an upper edge of the container (B).
[0014]
Assembly according to Claim 13, in which the positioning means comprise a groove (8) adapted to engage on the edge of the container (B).

类似技术:

---

公开号 | 公开日 | 专利标题

---

CA2007206C|1995-08-08|Citrus squeezer type appliance capable of peeting the skin of a citrus fruit and dividing the pulp

---

FR3092030A1|2020-07-31|Manual device for cutting vegetables.

---

FR2690826A1|1993-11-12|Fruit and vegetable cutter device with a projecting cone.

---

EP3302904B1|2019-12-11|Improved device for the cutting of fruit or vegetables

---

FR2498917A1|1982-08-06|JULIENNE CUTTER FOR KITCHEN ROBOT

---

FR2959154A1|2011-10-28|Mechanical food processing apparatus i.e. vegetable-cutter type apparatus, for cutting e.g. potato in chip shape, has blade whose upper part carries cutting edge that cuts food in co-operation with pressure of tappet

---

CA2289241C|2003-09-16|Vegetable slicer and peeling apparatus

---

FR2575914A1|1986-07-18|

---

FR2948053A1|2011-01-21|ASSEMBLY AND METHOD FOR CLEANING A GRID

---

EP3127667A1|2017-02-08|Method for cutting and bagging a loaf of bread and bagging device used in said method

---

FR2726780A1|1996-05-15|Cook's mandoline for slicing foodstuff

---

EP2801455B1|2016-06-29|Machine for automatically cutting a loaf

---

WO2008113920A2|2008-09-25|Citrus squeezer for squeezing a whole citrus

---

FR3066424B1|2019-07-12|USTENSILE TO SLINE A FOOD PRODUCT SUCH AS VEGETABLES OR CHEESE

---

FR2951104A1|2011-04-15|SUPPORT FOR UTENSILS FOR CUTTING VEGETABLES ACTIVATED MANUALLY

---

EP0587524A1|1994-03-16|Cutting device for tarts

---

FR2898796A1|2007-09-28|Squeezer for extracting juice from e.g. lemon, has lever with transversal profile whose central branch forms rib and pivoting around axis defined by slots of bowl during pressing of slice by planting pointed projection in slice

---

FR2628624A1|1989-09-22|Utensil for extracting flesh of citrus fruit - with fruit held in cup and cutting and peeling blades on rod pushed down by user

---

FR3066423B1|2019-07-12|COUPE MOUILLETTES

---

FR3104398A1|2021-06-18|Manually operated device for parallel and regular slicing of soft food products

---

FR2948270A1|2011-01-28|Storage case for cutting grid of vegetable grater, has cylindrical housing for positioning cutting device, and fixation unit fixed to kitchen utensil, where fixation unit is constituted by mounting tabs traversed by orifices

---

FR3091666A1|2020-07-17|Manual device for slicing a bakery product

---

EP3681681A1|2020-07-22|Device for preparing sandwiches

---

CH360177A|1962-02-15|Food cutting device

---

FR2912631A1|2008-08-22|Automatic or semi-automatic press for citrus fruit i.e. orange, has pressing dome moving with respect to blades and pressing cone and including support wall that has perforations communicating with reservoir arranged on top of dome

同族专利:

---

公开号 | 公开日

---

US20200238555A1|2020-07-30|

---

FR3092030B1|2021-01-08|

引用文献:

---

公开号 | 申请日 | 公开日 | 申请人 | 专利标题

---

US925693A|1909-01-11|1909-06-22|Frank A Goodykoontz|Vegetable-cutter.|

---

US5337480A|1993-05-07|1994-08-16|Ralph Codikow|Subdividing device|

---

US20090193952A1|2008-02-01|2009-08-06|Tariq Farid|Sectioning device and method of use|

---

US20180169880A1|2014-02-10|2018-06-21|Edlund Company, Llc|Hand Operated Food Cutting Apparatus Having a Self-Stabilizing Pusher-Arm Mechanism and a Food-Stabilizing Pusher-Arm Mechanism for a Food Cutting Apparatus|

---

JP2017100250A|2015-12-02|2017-06-08|大生機設株式会社|Method for cutting bulky foodstuff and its device|CN112265052A|2020-09-27|2021-01-26|钟定军|Tomato cutting device|

---

USD942826S1|2019-11-26|2022-02-08|Dart Industries Inc.|Vegetable spiralizer|

法律状态:
2020-01-21| PLFP| Fee payment|Year of fee payment: 2 |

---

2020-07-31| PLSC| Publication of the preliminary search report|Effective date: 20200731 |

---

2021-01-21| PLFP| Fee payment|Year of fee payment: 3 |

---

2022-01-19| PLFP| Fee payment|Year of fee payment: 4 |

优先权:

---

申请号 | 申请日 | 专利标题

---

FR1900885|2019-01-30|

---

FR1900885A|FR3092030B1|2019-01-30|2019-01-30|Manual device for cutting vegetables.|FR1900885A| FR3092030B1|2019-01-30|2019-01-30|Manual device for cutting vegetables.|

---

US16/776,121| US20200238555A1|2019-01-30|2020-01-29|Hand-operated vegetable cutter appliance|