Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Processes – Molding – casting – or shaping
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-28
2001-05-29
Yeung, George C. (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Processes
Molding, casting, or shaping
C426S389000, C426S665000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06238718
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to the field of food handling products and, in particular, to an apparatus and method for shaping pureed food in a mold and thereafter dispensing the shaped pureed food from the mold.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Hospitals, nursing homes, and other institutions in the food service industry typically serve various types of pureed foods. In general, pureed foods are food products that have a soft texture and require little or no chewing and can be easily swallowed. Conventional ice cream scoops have been used to serve these types of pureed food products. Ice cream scoops typically have a curved bowl section and a curved blade that travels along the inner surface of the bowl section to release the pureed food. Although conventional ice cream scoops have proven to be acceptable to dispense the pureed food from the bowl section, a major drawback is that each type of food that is served has the same spherical shape, which is oftentimes unattractive and unappealing to the patient or consumer.
Conventional molds have been used to allow pureed food products to be formed in various shapes to enhance the appearance of the food. However, the process of preparing such food products with conventional molds is both costly and labor intensive. For example, a separate mold must be provided. A separate utensil is typically required to transfer the pureed food from a food container into the mold. Another utensil may be required to remove the excess pureed food from the mold to create the desired shape. Since there is typically no way to remove pureed food that is at or near room temperature from the mold, the mold is typically placed in a freezer. Once frozen, the pureed food may then be removed from the mold with yet another utensil. Once the frozen food is removed from the mold, it must then be re-heated to a suitable temperature for consumption.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a convenient and cost effective apparatus and method for shaping and dispensing pureed food that overcomes the disadvantages described above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One aspect of the invention provides an apparatus for shaping and dispensing pureed food. A mold includes a back wall having an opening formed therein. A handle is attached to the mold, and a lever is pivotally attached to the handle. A plate is disposed within the mold and has a shape substantially conforming to the shape of the back wall. A bracket member extends through the opening formed in the back wall of the mold. The bracket member includes a first end portion attached to a back side of the plate and a second end portion attached to the lever. The second end potion of the bracket member may preferably be removably attached to a first end portion of the lever. The handle may preferably include an opening formed therein that is configured to allow a pivoting action of the lever, which extends through the opening. The opening may preferably be angled 60 degrees from vertical. A pin may preferably extend through the lever and handle and the lever may preferably be rotatable about the pin. A spring may preferably contact the lever and the handle to bias the plate toward the back wall of the mold. The lever may preferably include a second end portion having a manually operable portion and a curved body portion. The mold may preferably include a plurality of side walls extending from the back wall and tapered outward from the back wall. The plurality of side walls may preferably be angled outward 10 degrees from vertical. The back wall and the plate each may have a triangular shape. Alternatively, the back wall and the plate each may have a square shape or a rectangular shape. The mold, plate, and lever each may preferably be comprised of stainless steel. The handle may preferably include a plurality of spaced-apart grooves and may be comprised of rigid plastic.
Another aspect of the invention provides a method of shaping and dispensing purees food. A mold including a back wall and an opening formed therein is provided. A handle is attached to the mold and a lever is pivotally attached to the handle. A plate is disposed within the mold and has a shape substantially conforming to the shape of the back wall. A bracket member extends through the opening formed in the back wall of the mold. The bracket member includes a first end portion attached to a back side of the plate and a second end portion attached to the lever. The mold is filled with pureed food. The lever is rotated and the plate is moved in a direction away from the back wall of the mold. The pureed food having a shape conforming to a shape of the mold is ejected from the mold. The plate may preferably be biased toward the back wall. Back pressure may be relieved by providing a gap between an outer perimeter edge of the plate and the plurality of side walls. The mold may also include a perimeter edge. The mold may preferably be passed through pureed food contained in a food container to fill the mold with the pureed food. The perimeter edge may preferably be slid across an edge of the food container to remove excess pureed food from the mold.
Another aspect of the invention provides an apparatus for shaping and dispensing pureed food. A mold includes a back planar wall and a plurality of side walls extending from the back wall. The back wall includes an opening formed therein. A handle is attached to the mold and includes an opening formed therein. A lever extends through the opening in the handle and is rotatably attached to a pin positioned across the opening of the handle. A bracket member extends through the opening in the back wall of the mold. A plate is disposed within the mold and includes a back portion attached to a first end portion of the bracket. A second end portion of the bracket is releasably attached to the lever. The plate is biased toward the back wall and has a shape substantially conforming to the shape of the back wall. The plurality of side walls are tapered outward from the back wall to provide a gap between an outer perimeter edge of the plate and the plurality of side walls as the lever is pivoted about the pin and the plate is moved in a direction away from the back wall.
The invention provides the foregoing and other features, and the advantages of the invention will become further apparent from the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The detailed description and drawings are merely illustrative of the invention and do not limit the scope of the invention, which is defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.
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Guyser Beverly
Lescher Barbara
Schwarz Cindi
Baniak Pine & Gannon
Better Way Innovations, Inc.
Yeung George C.
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