Spiral slicer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10183409-B2
Application number	US-201615354748-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 17, 2016
Priority date	Nov 18, 2015
Publication date	Jan 22, 2019
Grant date	Jan 22, 2019

Abstract

A spiral slicer for producing spiral-cut fruits and vegetables, includes a main body supporting a shaft operated by a crank handle. Rotation of the crank handle selectively moves a pusher, which attaches to a fruit or vegetable toward a set of julienne blades and a main slicing blade. The fruit or vegetable is cut by the julienne blades and then by the main blade, with the sliced portion passing through a gap positioned between the julienne blades and the main blade.

First claim

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

1. A spiral slicer, comprising:
a main body having a slicing end and a crank end, with a central body portion joining the slicing end to the crank end, the main body being configured to support the spiral slicer on a horizontal surface;
a shaft attached to the crank end of the main body, the shaft having a pusher at a first end of the shaft and a crank handle at an opposing second end of the shaft, the crank handle being operable to urge the shaft and the pusher toward the slicing end of the main body;
a main slicing blade attached to the slicing end of the main body;
a julienne blade holder mounted to the slicing end of the main body, the julienne blade holder having a first plurality of julienne slicing blades and a second plurality of julienne slicing blades and being positioned adjacent the main slicing blade with a gap between the julienne blade holder and the main slicing blade;
the julienne blade holder further being mounted for rotational movement about an axis into at least a first rotational position and a second rotational position, wherein in the first rotational position the first plurality of julienne blades extends toward the crank end of the main body to encounter a food item urged toward the main blade by the pusher, and in the second rotational position the second plurality of julienne blades extends toward the crank end of the main body to encounter a food item urged toward the main blade by the pusher;
the julienne blade holder further comprises a first post and a second post, the first post and the second post defining the axis of rotational movement of the julienne blade holder; and
a locking cap attached to the slicing end of the main body, the locking cap being moveable with respect to the julienne blade holder to selectively lock the julienne blade holder in either the first rotational position or the second rotational position, or to unlock the julienne blade holder for movement between the first rotational position and the second rotational position, wherein the locking cap is pivotally or slidably mounted to the slicing end of the main body, the locking cap further having a channel for receiving the post in a locked position, the locking cap further having an unlocked position in which the locking cap is moved pivotally or laterally away from the first post.

2. The spiral slicer of claim 1 , wherein the first post comprises a knob.

3. The spiral slicer of claim 2 , wherein the julienne blade holder and the slicing end of the main body comprise complementary mating surfaces whereby when the complementary mating surfaces are interconnected the julienne blade holder is locked into either the first rotational position or the second rotational position.

4. The spiral slicer of claim 3 , wherein the complementary mating surfaces comprise a plurality of fins formed on the julienne blade holder and a bore positioned in the slicing end of the main housing, the bore having a plurality of radial cutouts which engage the plurality of fins.

5. The spiral slicer of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of fins are formed on the second post, and further wherein the spiral slicer comprises a coil spring carried on the second post and trapped between the julienne blade holder and a support platform positioned on the slicing end of the main body, the bore further being formed in the support platform.

6. The spiral slicer of claim 3 , wherein the julienne blade holder further comprises a first face, a second face, and a third face, the first set of julienne blades being positioned on the first face, the second set of julienne blades being positioned on the second face, and the third face being devoid of blades, and further wherein the julienne blade holder is selectively moveable to a third rotational position in which the third face is directed toward the crank end of the main body.

7. The spiral slicer of claim 6 , further comprising an alignment tube carried on the slicing end of the main body adjacent the main slicing blade and adjacent the julienne blade holder.

8. The spiral slicer of claim 6 , further comprising a blade guard positioned over the julienne blade holder, the julienne blade holder being positioned between the blade guard and the crank end.

9. A spiral slicer, comprising:
a main body having a central body portion with a slicing end and a crank end each extending upward from opposing ends of the central body portion, the main body being configured to support the spiral slicer on a horizontal surface;
a threaded shaft attached to the crank end of the main body, the shaft having first end configured to hold a food item to be sliced and a crank handle at an opposing second end of the shaft, the crank handle being operable to urge the first end of the shaft toward the slicing end of the main body;
a main slicing blade attached to the slicing end of the main body; and
a julienne blade holder having a first side and a second side, the first side having a first plurality of julienne blades, the julienne blade holder being positioned adjacent the main slicing blade and defining a gap between the main slicing blade and the julienne blade holder, the julienne blade holder further being mounted at the slicing end for rotational movement about an axis into at least a first rotational position and a second rotational position, wherein in the first rotational position the first plurality of julienne blades extends toward the crank end of the main body to encounter a food item urged toward the main blade by a pusher, and in the second rotational position the second side faces toward the crank end of the main body; and
a locking cap configured to hold the julienne blade holder in the first rotational or the second rotational position, wherein the julienne blade holder further comprises a first post and a second post, the first post and the second post defining the axis of rotational movement of the julienne blade holder, and wherein the locking cap is slidably mounted to the slicing end of the main body, the locking cap further having a channel for receiving the first post in a locked position, the locking cap further having an unlocked position in which the locking cap is moved laterally away from the first post.

10. The spiral slicer of claim 9 , wherein the julienne blade holder further comprises a third side, the second side having a second plurality of julienne blades, the julienne blade holder being selectively moveable to a third rotational position in which the third side faces toward the crank end of the main body.

11. The spiral slicer of claim 10 , wherein the third side is devoid of blades.

12. The spiral splicer of claim 10 , wherein the julienne blade holder and the slicing end of the main body comprise complementary mating surfaces whereby when the complementary mating surfaces are interconnected the julienne blade holder is locked into either the first rotational position, the second rotational position, or the third rotational position.

13. The spiral slicer of claim 12 , wherein the complementary mating surfaces comprise a plurality of fins formed on the julienne blade holder and a bore positioned in the slicing end of the main housing, the bore having a plurality of radial cutouts which engage the plurality of fins.

14. The spiral slicer of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of fins are formed on the second post, and further wherein the spiral slicer comprises a coil spring carried on the second post and trapped between the julienne blade holder and a support platform positioned on the slicing end of the main b

Assignees

• Progressive Int Corp

Inventors

• Bagley Justin
• Cotter Jennifer K

Classifications

• B26D3/26

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

• B26D3/283

  Household devices therefor · CPC title

• B26D7/0666

  by screw or rotary spiral conveyors · CPC title

• B26D1/03

  with a plurality of cutting members · CPC title

• B26D3/11 Primary

  to obtain pieces of spiral or helical form · CPC title