Onion chopper

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10011031-B2
Application number	US-201514613745-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 4, 2015
Priority date	Feb 4, 2014
Publication date	Jul 3, 2018
Grant date	Jul 3, 2018

Abstract

An onion chopper includes a food reservoir supporting a blade tray and having a lid attached for pivotal movement toward and away from the lid and blade tray. The lid includes at least one grid of projections configured to push through a corresponding grid of blades in the blade tray to chop the onion. A cleaning grid is provided for attachment to the grid of blades. The grid of blades forms a peripheral skirt surrounding a lower container for collecting bits of chopped onion or other foods.

First claim

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An onion chopper, comprising:
a container having a bottom and sidewalls extending upwardly from the bottom and terminating in an upper rim;
a blade tray removably supported by the container, the blade tray having an upper surface spanning the upper rim of the container, the upper surface further having a first grid of blades, the blade tray further having a peripheral skirt which surround and extends a distance beyond the upper rim of the container and adjacent an external surface of the container when the blade tray is supported by the container, and
a lid having a first end and a second end, the first end being pivotally attached to the blade tray for movement between a first position adjacent the tray and a second position in which the second end of the lid is pivoted away from the tray, the lid having a first plurality of projections sized and configured to be received within the first grid of blades when the lid is adjacent the blade tray;
the lid further having a downwardly flange extending in a vertical direction, wherein the lid is pivoted to the first position, the flange surrounds a majority of a perimeter of the peripheral skirt, the flange extends a distance beyond the upper rim, and a portion of the peripheral skirt extends below the flange.

2. The onion chopper of claim 1 , further comprising a cleaning grid having a first plurality of openings sized and arranged to snugly receive the first plurality of projections, the cleaning grid being removably attached to the first plurality of projections.

3. The onion chopper of claim 1 , wherein the lid comprises an outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surface being adjacent the blade tray when the lid is pivoted to the first position, the lid further having a section of elastomeric material attached to the inner surface of the lid.

4. The onion chopper of claim 3 , wherein the section of elastomeric material being attached to the inner surface of the lid adjacent the sidewall.

5. The onion chopper of claim 3 , wherein the blade tray further comprises a second grid of blades, the lid further having a second plurality of projections sized and configured to be received within the second grid of blades when the lid is adjacent the blade tray.

6. The onion chopper of claim 4 , further comprising a cleaning grid having a first plurality of openings sized and arranged to snugly receive the first plurality of projections and a second plurality of openings sized and arranged to snugly receive the second plurality of projections, the cleaning grid being removably attachable to the first plurality of projections and the second plurality of projections.

7. The onion chopper of claim 6 , wherein the container comprises a first height from the bottom of the container to the upper rim; and
the the peripheral skirt of the blade tray comprises a lower rim having a lower edge, wherein when the blade tray is supported atop the container, the lower edge extends a vertical direction to the upper rim to a second height, the second height being at least half of the first height.

8. The onion chopper of claim 1 , further comprising a layer of elastomeric material attached to the lower edge of the sidewall of the lid.

9. The onion chopper of claim 8 , wherein the lower edge of the sidewall of the lid contains at least one scalloped region.

10. The onion chopper of claim 1 , wherein the second end of the lid further comprises a recessed region, whereby a portion of the peripheral skirt of the blade tray is exposed through the recessed region.

11. The onion chopper of claim 1 , wherein the blade tray further comprises a pair of bosses positioned on the downwardly extending peripheral skirt, the lid being pivotally attached to the pair of bosses.

12. An onion chopper, comprising:
a container having a bottom and upwardly extending sidewalls terminating in an upper rim to define an interior space, the container having a first height from the bottom to the upper rim;
a blade tray removably supported by the container, the blade tray having an upper surface spanning the upper rim of the container, the upper surface having a first grid of blades, the blade tray further having a peripheral skirt surrounding the upper rim of the container when the blade tray is supported the peripheral skirt spanning a vertical distance from the upper terminating at a lower edge of the peripheral skirt, the vertical distance forming a second height, the second height being at least half as great as the first height;
a lid having a first end and a second end, the first end being pivotally attached to the blade tray for movement between a first position adjacent the tray and a second position in which the second end of the lid is pivoted away from the tray, the lid having a first plurality of projections sized and configured to be received within the first grid of blades when the lid is in the first position, the lid further having a peripheral wall flange extending in a vertical direction from the lid and terminating in a lower edge, the peripheral wall flange surrounding a majority of a perimeter of the peripheral skirt of the blade tray when the lid is pivoted to the first position.

13. The onion chopper of claim 12 , further comprising a section of elastomeric material positioned between the lid and the blade tray when the lid is in the first position.

14. The onion chopper of claim 13 , wherein the elastomeric material is attached to the lid.

15. The onion chopper of claim 13 , wherein the blade tray comprises a second grid of blades and the lid comprises a second plurality of projections, the second plurality of projections configured to be received within the second grid of blades when the lid is in the first position.

16. The onion chopper of claim 15 , further comprising a layer of elastomeric material attached to the lower edge of the peripheral wall of the lid.

17. The onion chopper of claim 15 , further comprising a cleaning grid having a first plurality of openings sized and arranged to snugly receive the first plurality of projections and a second plurality of openings sized and arranged to snugly receive the second plurality of projections, the cleaning grid being removably attachable to the first plurality of projections and the second plurality of projections.

18. The onion chopper of claim 12 , wherein lower edge of the peripheral flange of the lid contains at least one arched region.

19. The onion chopper of claim 12 , wherein the blade tray further comprises a pair of bosses positioned on the downwardly extending peripheral skirt, the lid being pivotally attached to the pair of bosses.

Assignees

• Progressive Int Corp

Inventors

• Hauser Lawrence M
• Kaposi Sascha

Classifications

• B26D3/26

  specially adapted for cutting fruit or vegetables, e.g. for onions · CPC title

• B26D3/185 Primary

  Grid like cutters · CPC title

• B26D3/18

  to obtain cubes or the like (ice harvesting F25C5/02) · CPC title