Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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DEVICE FOR CUTTING FRUIT AND VEGETABLES,
ESPECIALLY ONIONS
The invention relates to a device for cutting fruit and vegetables, in
particular
onions, having a cutter member that has a plurality of blades and having a
counterpart
element against which the cutter member is pressed for cutting the material to
be cut,
wherein the counterpart element has a punch which presses the material to be
cut through
the cutter member, or the blades thereof.
An onion chopper of this kind is known for instance from International Patent
Disclosure WO 02064331 Al, with a boardlike cutter element and a counterpart
element,
likewise embodied on the order of a board, that receives the onion to be cut.
For cutting
an onion, the cutter element is pivoted upward from the counterpart element
that rests on
an underlying support, and the onion to be cut is placed on a punch located on
the
counterpart element. After that, the cutter element is pivoted back onto the
counterpart
element, exerting a pressure, until the blades plunge into corresponding
indentations on
the punch. In the process, the onion is cut apart by the cutting grid of the
cutter element
and by means of the punch is pressed all the way through the cutting grid.
Once the
cutter element rests on the counterpart element, the material that has been
cut is located
on the top side of the cutter element and can be removed from the cutter
element, for
instance with the aid of a knife.
A disadvantage of this device is that pieces of the cut onion can drop
unintentionally from the top side of the cutter element, for instance onto the
floor. This
often occurs when onions are being cut, since because of their oval shape the
onion tends
to fall apart after being cut.
A further disadvantage in this device is that the essential oils of the onion
can
develop freely after the cutting, causing the well-known irritation to the
eyes of the user.
It is also necessary to remove the cut onion from the top side of the cutter
element when
further onions are to be cut.
Furthermore, cleaning the punch proves difficult, since the essential oils of
the
onion can collect in the indentations in the punch, and the counterpart
element can be
cleaned only together with the punch.
It is therefore the object of the invention to further develop a device for
cutting
fruit and vegetables, in particular onions, having the characteristics recited
at the outset,
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in such a way that while overcoming these disadvantages, handling of the
device is
improved substantially.
This object is attained by a device having the characteristics recited at the
outset,
in which for receiving the cut material, a container is releasably disposed on
the cutter
member, on its side remote from the counterpart element, in the region of the
blades.
By means of the invention, it is attained that the cut onions, for instance,
after
being cut are received in the container and are secured against falling out.
Also, the
essential oils of a cut onion, for instance, cannot develop their eye-
irritating effect, since
they are essentially locked away from the environment by the container.
Moreover, the
container according to the invention offers the advantage that a plurality of
kinds of
material to be cut can be cut in succession, without requiring that the
already-cut material
be removed from the device and placed in a separate container. Once the
desired quantity
of vegetables, onions and the like has been cut, the device of the invention
is simply
turned over, so that the receiving container is now underneath the cutter
element. The
container is then released from the device, whereupon the cut material is held
in the
container and can be kept ready for further processing. In order here as well
to suppress
the irritating effect of the essential oils of a cut onion, a separate cap for
closing the
container once it has been released from the device may be provided. The cut
material
can then be stored in the container in airtight fashion until it is further
processed.
In a first advantageous embodiment of the invention, the container is retained
releasably on the cutter element by means of a bayonet mount. Alternatively,
however, it
is possible to use a screw closure or a detent connection. All these means
assure fast,
simple release of the container from the cutter element and its fastening to
it.
To enable monitoring the fill level inside the container, in an embodiment of
the
invention the container comprises transparent material.
In a further concept of the invention, the punch is releasably held on the
counterpart element, so that after use the punch can be released from the
counterpart
element and subjected separately to intensive cleaning. This is especially
applicable
whenever the cut material releases eye-irritating essential oils that can
stick to the punch.
In this respect as well, for simple, fast release of the punch from the
counterpart
element and securing it to the counterpart element, it is provided that the
punch is
releasably disposed on the counterpart element by means of a bayonet mount.
Screw
closures but in particular detent connections are preferably employed.
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To prevent the punch, in the cutting of the material to be cut and in
particular
when detent connections are used between the punch and the material, from
being
released unintentionally from the counterpart element by the pressure exerted
on the
material to be cut, the punch can be disposed in captive fashion on the
counterpart
element by means of fastening elements.
It has proved advantageous that the fastening elements have at least one
clamping
means that can be secured to the counterpart element and the punch by means of
screws
or similar fastening means.
Furthermore, in the area provided for the punch, the counterpart element is
designed as a grid which corresponds with the indentations of the punch.
Through this, it
is particularly achieved that any residues of cut material which reside
between the
indentations of the punch will be removed from the punch when it is being
detached
from the counterpart element. In this way, as a result of the extraction of
the punch from
the area of the grid, cleaning of the punch takes place.
In another especially advantageous embodiment of the invention, the blades
form
a cutting grid. As a result, the material to be cut is cut into small block-
shaped pieces,
which in the case of onions, for instance, because of their shell-like
structure, fall apart
into more or less small pieces or cubes of onion. In this respect only one
cutting
operation is required to obtain cut material that is cut as small as possible.
In that case,
the punch on the counterpart element should have a likewise gridlike structure
of its
indentations that the cutting grid engages.
In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the cutter element and
the counterpart element are supported pivotably on one another. Since the
cutter element
acts as a lever, the expenditure of force in cutting is reduced considerably.
To assure simple, thorough cleaning of the individual parts of the device of
the
invention, it is provided that the cutter element and the counterpart element
are likewise
releasably joined together.
In still a further concept of the invention, both the counterpart element and
the
cutter element are embodied in boardlike fashion, which simplifies handling of
the
device substantially.
It is furthermore provided that blades are retained in a frame disposed
releasably
on the cutter element. As a result, the blades can easily be released from the
cutter
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element and subject to thorough cleaning. The blades can also be replaced
easily, if they
should have become dull after long use.
Further characteristics, advantages, embodiments and possible applications of
the
present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description of one
exemplary
embodiment in conjunction with the drawings. All the characteristics described
and/or
shown in the drawing are the subject of the present invention on their own or
in arbitrary
appropriate combination, including independently of how they are summarized in
the
claims or the claims dependencies.
Shown are:
Fig. 1, one possible embodiment of a device according to the invention
with a cutter element and counterpart element pivotable counter to one
another;
Fig. 2, the device of Fig. 1, with the cutter element resting on the
counterpart element;
Fig. 3, the device of Figs. 1 and 2, after the material to be cut has been cut
and before the container that receives the cut vegetables or onions is
released;
Fig. 4, an exploded view in perspective of the device of Figs. 1-3, with a
releasable punch;
Fig. 5, an exploded view in perspective of the device of Figs. 1-3, with a
cutting grid retained in a releasable frame;
Fig. 6, an exploded view in perspective of the device, with additional
fastening elements for the punch; and
Fig. 7, a plan view on the underside of the counterpart element of the
device, with a punch disposed in captive fashion with fastening elements, in
accordance with Fig. 6.
The device shown in the drawings substantially comprises a cutter element 3
and
a counterpart element 4, as the drawings show. As Fig. 1 shows, in the
embodiment
selected here, the cutter element 3 and the counterpart element 4 are
supported pivotably
counter to one another via a pivot connection 10.
A plurality of blades 2 combined into a grid are integrated into the cutter
element 3.
On the side of the cutter element 3 remote from the counterpart element 4, in
the
region of the cutting grid, a container 6 is retained releasably by means of a
bayonet
mount 7.
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The counterpart element 4 has a base 9, for placing the device on a work
surface
(not shown) . The base 9 is disposed on the side of the counterpart element 4
remote
from the cutter element 3. On the side of the counterpart element 4 toward the
cutter
element 3, there is a punch 5, on which the onion or similar material 1 to be
cut is placed.
The punch 5 has indentations 8, which correspond with the blades 2 of the
cutter
element 3 and into which the blades 2 dip when the cutter element 3 is resting
on the
counterpart element 4. To press the onion 1 all the way through the blades 2,
the
indentations 8 are embodied as deeper than the height of the blades 2.
As can be seen particularly in Figs. 4 and 5, the punch 5 is releasably
retained on
the counterpart element 4 by means of a detent connection 12.
The blades 2 in Fig. 5 are likewise retained in a frame 13, which in turn is
disposed releasably on the cutter element 3.
In the exemplary embodiment of Figs. 6 and 7, the punch 5 is disposed in
captive
fashion on the counterpart element 4 by means of fastening elements. The
fastening
elements are formed by clamping means 16, which are retained on the punch 5 by
means
of screws 15. For that purpose, each clamping means 16 has one oblong slot 18
for the
screw 15, as a result of which the clamping means 16 are held displaceably on
the
underside of the punch 5. The clamping means 16 can be displaced
longitudinally of the
oblong slot 18, so that the clamping means 16 extend in part through openings
17 inside
the counterpart element 4. If in cutting of the material 1 to be cut, a high
pressure is
exerted on the punch 5, then the fastening elements in the form of the
clamping means 16
with screws 15 retain the punch S in captive fashion on the counterpart
element 4.
Before the cutting operation, the counterpart element 3 is pivoted upward
relative
to the counterpart element 4, and the material to be cut is placed on the
punch 5. In this
position, the container 6 is located on the top side of the cutter element 3.
The cutter
element 3 is now pressed downward onto the counterpart element 4, whereupon
the
blades 2 cut the material to be cut into pieces of rectangular cross section.
Once the
cutter element 3 is resting on the counterpart element 4, the material being
cut has been
pressed by the punch 5 all the way into the container 6, through the blades 2
in the
cutting grid.
The blades 2 of the cutting grid are arranged such that in the event that the
cutter
element 3 is pivoted again for cutting further onions, the cut material is
prevented from
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falling out of the container 6 through the cutting grid. The quantity of cut
material can be
checked, because of the transparent container 6.
As soon as there is a desired quantity of cut material 1 in the container 6,
the
device is turned over into the position shown in Fig. 3, in which the cut
material is
located on the bottom 11 of the container 6. The container 6 can now be
released from
the cutter element 3, and if the cut vegetables are not processed immediately,
the
container can optionally be closed with a cap.
For cleaning the device, its individual parts, such as the cutter element 3,
counterpart element 4, punch 5, container 6, blades 2, and frame 13, can be
separated
from one another.
List of Reference Numerals
1 Material to be cut
2 Blades
3 Cutter element
4 Counterpart element
Punch
6 Container
7 Bayonet mount
8 Indentations
9 Base
Pivot connection
11 Bottom
12 Detent connection
13 Frame
Screws
16 Clamping means
17 Opening
18 Oblong slot
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