Cutting – Other than completely through work thickness or through work... – Splitting
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-13
2001-06-12
Young, Lee (Department: 3729)
Cutting
Other than completely through work thickness or through work...
Splitting
C083S647000, C083S759000, C083S932000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06244153
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to kitchen appliances and, more particularly, to a motorized food slicing appliance to simplify the cutting of bagels and other baked goods, and to increase safety.
2. Description of the Background
The conventional means for slicing food articles, particularly baked goods such as bagels, doughnuts and the like, entails a simple carving knife and cutting board. However, this engenders a significant safety hazard. Safety is especially compromised in the cutting of bagels, which are hard and round and thereby difficult to stabilize. It is recognized that bagel slicing is one of the foremost causes of household injury. Hospitals routinely treat an inordinate number of lacerated fingers caused thereby.
A number of machines and jigs for slicing bagels already exist in the prior art. These generally fall into two categories: 1) manual holding jigs or receptacles into which the bagel is placed to hold it during a conventional knife cutting operation; and 2) industrialized slicing machines designed to slice a large number of bagels or baked goods in an assembly-line manner.
Many of the former manually-operated devices include a receptacle having a pair of opposed slots into which is inserted a cutting instrument, which is then moved back and forth in a sawing action to slice the bagel while it is held by the receptacle. Specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 4,399,989 to Baillie shows a mechanical bagel press for securing bagels whilst cutting with a knife, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,505 to Campbell et al. shows a miter-box type manual bagel slicer for securing a bagel and guiding a knife. In these and other cases, the use of a separate knife to slice the bagel is not always convenient and leaves the risk of injury from the knife blade. Other variations attach the knife blade to the housing to facilitate the sawing action. Still others employ a special guided blade or make provision for rotating the bagel to facilitate slicing. Examples include U.S. Pat. No. 4,747,331 to Policella, which shows a mechanical bagel press for securing bagels whilst cutting with a pivotally mounted knife, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,431,078 to Ricard et al. which shows a manual guillotine-type bagel slicing jig. These and like devices still result in a labor intensive process and user interaction with a free-swinging blade. Injuries are still prevalent.
There are heavy commercial devices used by restaurants and the like. These industrialized devices entail automatically feeding bagels past rotating blades. They are designed for use where ample counter space and a high price tag are not obstacles. For example, U.S Pat. No. 5,404,782 to Ryan et al. shows an automated slicer in which bagels or other baked goods are carried on a conveyer past two opposing horizontal blades. The baked goods are sliced by the blades and continue onward until they are ejected from the conveyer into a hopper. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,776,252 to Herlitzius shows an automated slicer in which bagels are carried on a conveyer to a rotary slicer. The bagels are sliced by adjustable blades and continue onward until they fall off the conveyer into a hopper.
It would be greatly advantageous to provide a compact motorized bagel slicing device adapted for home or light commercial use, thereby simplifying the slicing process and improving the safety thereof. While there have been efforts to achieve a balance between automation, safety, and simplicity, none as yet have yielded a satisfactory design. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,546,686 to Losiowski shows a bagel slicing jig in which a bagel is inserted through an entrance door in advance of a pushing mechanism. The handle operated pushing mechanism urges the bun past a diagonal blade. After slicing, the bun is ejected from the side of the jig. U.S. Pat. No. 2,685,901 to Putzer shows a bun slicing machine in which a round bun is inserted in a slidable carriage. The carriage and bun are shifted via a handle such that the bun encounters a diagonal blade. After slicing, the bun falls into an exit hopper for removal. These devices remain bulky, difficult to use and clean, and expensive to manufacture. They could be better designed for simplicity, compactness, ease of operation, more economical manufacturing, and ease of cleaning. It is believed that a well-designed modular unit striking a better balance between manual and motorized operation would find a significant market.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus for slicing food articles, particularly baked goods and bagels in a uniform, quick and safe manner.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved semi-automatic bagel slicer that requires a minimum of space and which facilitates the slicing operation without damage to the bagel.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved bagel slicer which is efficient, quick, easy to clean, and above all, completely safe.
These and other objects are provided by an improved appliance for slicing food articles, particularly baked goods and bagels, in a uniform, quick and safe manner.
The appliance of the instant invention includes a food receptacle which is slidably inserted into one end of a main housing and into which a food item such as a bagel may be placed. A motorized cutting carriage is pivotally mounted to the main housing and extends a serrated dual-bladed slicing assembly over the food item. When power is applied, the blades of the slicing assembly begin reciprocating, and the cutting carriage is pivoted with respect to the main housing in order to move the reciprocating blades through the food item. Once the food item is cut, the cutting carriage is returned to its home position, the food receptacle can be slidably withdrawn, and the sliced food item is removed. The appliance requires a minimum of space and facilitates the slicing operation without damage to the bagel. The appliance is efficient, quick, easy to clean, and above all, completely safe.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4050370 (1977-09-01), Schmidt et al.
patent: 5522306 (1996-06-01), DeMars
patent: 5921163 (1999-07-01), McInnes et al.
patent: 6145427 (2000-11-01), Smith
McInnes Thomas A.
Perry Gordon R.
Tan Jude C.
Toth Louis
Law offices of Royal W. Craig
Vercene Kevin G.
Young Lee
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