Kitchen device with suction foot

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9986873-B2
Application number	US-201415022591-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 12, 2014
Priority date	Dec 24, 2013
Publication date	Jun 5, 2018
Grant date	Jun 5, 2018

Abstract

The invention relates to a kitchen device ( 100 ) comprising: —a grip ( 120 ) for manually holding the device, the grip defining a grip area ( 112 ), —a first suction foot ( 130 ) attached to the device ( 100 ) and arranged to secure the device ( 100 ) to a surface ( 150 ) by means of suction against the surface ( 150 ), —an actuator ( 110 ) connected to the first suction foot ( 130 ) and extending in the grip area ( 112 ), the actuator ( 110 ) being arranged to transfer an actuating force ( 111 ) acting on the actuator ( 110 ) into a releasing force ( 131 ) acting on the first suction foot ( 130 ) to release the first suction foot ( 130 ) from the surface ( 150 ). This device can be released from the surface with an improved ease of use, because holding the device and releasing the device from the surface effectively have become a single, intuitive manual action by the user.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A kitchen device comprising:
a main body having an upper portion, a lower portion, a first lateral side, and a second lateral side, the lower portion of the main body including a top side, a first substantially vertical side, and a second substantially vertical side, the first substantially vertical side being arranged between the first lateral side and the second lateral side, the second substantially vertical side being arranged between the first lateral side and the second lateral side;
a suction foot attached to the lower portion of the main body and configured to secure the kitchen device to a surface by means of suction against the surface, a majority of the suction foot being arranged between the first lateral side and the first substantially vertical side;
a supporting foot attached to the lower portion of the main body and configured to support the kitchen device, a majority of the supporting foot being arranged between the second lateral side and the second substantially vertical side;
a cavity formed in the lower portion of the main body and defined by the top side, the first substantially vertical side, and the second substantially vertical side, the first substantially vertical side being arranged proximate the suction foot, the second substantially vertical side being arranged proximate the supporting foot, the cavity having a substantially rectangular cross-section, the cavity being immovable relative to the upper portion and the lower portion; and
an actuator being elongated and having a length in a lengthwise direction, the actuator having a first distal end in the lengthwise direction and a second distal end in the lengthwise direction, the first distal end being arranged inside the cavity and connected to the top side of the lower portion at a first connection location, the first connection location being arranged adjacent the second substantially vertical side and the supporting foot, the second distal end being arranged outside the cavity and connected to the suction foot at a second connection location, the second connection location being arranged adjacent the first substantially vertical side and the suction foot, a majority of the length of the actuator being arranged inside the cavity;
wherein the cavity is configured to allow a hand of a user to manually grip the kitchen device resulting in actuation of the actuator;
wherein the actuator is configured to transfer an actuating force from the user acting on the actuator into a releasing force acting on the suction foot to release the suction foot from the surface.

2. The kitchen device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the suction foot is configured to secure the kitchen device to a substantially horizontal surface.

3. The kitchen device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the actuator and the suction foot are made of a single piece of a same material.

4. The kitchen device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the actuator has a strip shape.

5. The kitchen device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the actuator is reinforced with a durable material.

6. The kitchen device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second distal end of the actuator is connected to a periphery of the suction foot.

Assignees

• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• Cheung Sau Kan
• Ivarsson Bengt Ivar Anders

Classifications

• A47J45/02 Primary

  for fastening kitchen utensils to tables, walls, or the like · CPC title

• F16B47/00

  Suction cups for attaching purposes; Equivalent means using adhesives {(devices using adhesives, suction or magnetism for hanging or supporting pictures or the like A47G1/17; vacuum work holders B25B11/005; anchoring of ships using suction B63B21/27; suction cups for handling glass B65G49/061; load-engaging elements for cranes using suction means B66C1/02)} · CPC title