AU773572B2

AU773572B2 - Knife block

Info

Publication number: AU773572B2
Application number: AU40862/00A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Minoru Tsuchida
Original assignee: Master Cutlery Corp
Current assignee: Master Cutlery Corp
Priority date: 2000-06-15
Filing date: 2000-06-15
Publication date: 2004-05-27
Anticipated expiration: 2020-06-15
Also published as: AU4086200A

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Applicant(s): MASTER CUTLERY CORPORATION Invention Title: KNIFE BLOCK The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:

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SPECIFICATION

Title of the Invention KNIFE BLOCK BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION i. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a knife block to hold a plurality of cooking knives and a file to grind such cooking 10 knives together (hereinafter referred to only as knives).

0 2. Prior Art 0 In the kitchen of common house or restaurant there are provided with kitchen knives for cooking. In recent days, not limited to restaurant but even in common house, it is 'oo.

0: general to prepare a plurality of kitchen knives in conformity .00* with cooking materials.

In ordinary case, there is provided with a kitchen knife housing part inside the partition door under the kitchen scullery. In other case, a plurality of kitchen knives are housed in a kitchen drawer. In either case, the knives are taken out when they are demanded for cooking.

However, there are some inconveniences complained.

For instance, when quick cooking is demanded, it is not easy to take out knives from inside of the partition door. In particular, in the case when several different kinds of 2 kitchen knives are demanded to proceed one kind of cooking, it is of annoyance to take out the knives from or put back them to inside of the partition door after washing the knives with water and wiping off. For this reason, most people lay the knives temporarily on the scullery after they use the knives. However, these knives placed unconsciously on the scullery are very dangerous and unsanitary. It would therefore be advantageous to offer a knife block of a simple structure and yet very convenient in handling these knives.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, there is provided a knife block for holding a plurality of knives each having a blade part and a grip part, the knife block comprising a hollow, substantially cylindrical cover part having an upper end and a lower end, a holder part in the upper end of the cover part and including therein a 20 plurality of insert holes in each of which is located a blade guide incorporating therein a slot through which the g blade part of an associated knife can be inserted, the grip part of each knife, in use, engaging the holder part to retain the knife in an operative position in the block in which the blade part thereof is housed within the cover part, and a base plate on which the lower end of the cover S. part is received such that, in used, the cover part extends upwardly from the base plate at an angle to the vertical, the block further comprising a support plate 30 within the cover part and provided with a plurality of o support holes each aligned with an associated one of the insert holes in the holder part, each blade guide comprising a pair of flat plates one to each side thereof tapering upwardly and outwardly of the blade guide towards the holder part of the block and each terminating in an upper edge located at an intermediate height of the blade guide, each blade guide fitting into an associated insert H.\jolzik\keep\Speci\40862-oO.doc 25/03/04 2a hole in the holder part and support hole in the support plate with the upper edges of the flat plates abutting the underside of the support plate.

Preferably, each blade guide further comprises a flange like engagement part formed around an upper end thereof and which, with the blade guide fitting into the associated insert hole in the holder part and support hole in the support plate, abuts the outer surface of the holder part.

In one embodiment of the present invention offers a knife block comprising a plurality of knife guides provided with slots through which each knife is inserted downward, respectively. Each of slots is provided with narrow gap to lead the knife to slide straightly and vertically downward. Preferably, the knife block of the present invention further comprises a cylindrical cover plate made of stainless steel surrounding the standing knives. This embodiment of the invention also includes a lid on the upper end of the cylindrical cover. The lid is provided with a plurality of slots as above mentioned.

go The cylindrical cover therefore stands in an upward direction with a predetermined pertinent inclination.

BRIEF EXPLANATION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will now be described with reference to the following figures which illustrate one preferred embodiment of the present invention: oooo oe*o H.\jolzik\keep\Speci\40862-OO.doc 25/03/04 3 Fig.l is a general perspective view indicating a part of the broken part of a knife block according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an analytical perspective view indicating the knife block according to the present invention.

Fig.3A indicates a first aspect of the embodiments of the present invention along an arrow marked X direction in Fig.1.

i Fig.3B indicates a second aspect of the embodiments 10 of the present invention along an arrow marked X direction in Fig.1.

*e Fig.4A is a side elevation of a knife guide according to the present invention.

Fig. 4B is a perspective view of a knife guide according to the present invention.

Fig.4C indicates the Y-Y cross-section in Fig.2.

Fig.5 indicates the state inside the cover part and is a cross section along the Z-Z line in Fig.l.

Fig.6A is a perspective view of a lower aperture of a cover part of the present invention.

Fig.6B is a cross-section along the W-W line in Fig.6B.

DETAILED EXPLANATION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION The present invention is explained with reference to the accompanied drawings.

In Fig.l, reference numeral 1 indicates a knife block.

q The knife block 1 comprises a holder part 10 to retain the knives C, a cover part 20 surrounding a blade part C1 of the knives C, a base plate 30 to secure the cover part upwardly with a predetermined pertinent inclination. The cover part 20 presents a cylindrical state and it has the holder part 10 on the upper aperture. The lower aperture of the cover part 20 is detachably secured with respect to the base plate In Fig.2, the upper aperture of the cover part 20 is 1: 0 fixedly covered with a cap part 11. There are provided a plurality of insert holes 15A, 15A, on the cap part 11. In the first aspect of the embodiments of the present invention, there are eight insert holes as shown in Fig.2.

Configuration of the insert holes is determined depending upon the configuration of the blade part C1 of the knives *C to be retained. In the first aspect of the embodiments, as shown in Fig.3A, the insert holes 15A, 15A,.of three different dimensions are provided in contrast with each other with respect to the center line UCL. A plurality of blade guides 12A, 12A,are fixedly fitted to said insert holes respectively. Meanwhile, there is provided with a support plate 13 under the holder part 10 as shown in Fig.l.

In the support plate 13, there are provided with a plurality of support holes 14, 14, which correspond to said insert holes 15A. The blade guides 12A, are fixed with respect to each of said support holes

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The relation between the blade guide 12A and the cap part 11, also between the blade guide 12A and the support plate 13, as well as the structure of the blade guide 12A are explained with reference to the Fig.2 and Fig.4. A plurality of the insert hole 15A, the blade guide 12A and the support hole 14 are offered in the present invention.

Each of the basic structure of the insert hole 15A, the blade guide 12A and the support hole 14 is identical with each other. For this reason, one example is explained hereinafter.

Fig.4A is a side elevation of the blade guide 12A.

Fig.4B is a perspective view of said blade guide 12A. Fig.4C is a Y-Y cross section in Fig.2. The blade guide 12A, as shown in Fig. 4A and 4B, presents a form of vertically divided guide body 12b and each of the two divided guide body 12b is integrated together through the left and right circumferential edges 12c, 12d. For this reason, the guide body 12b has a clearance SP through which the blade part C1 of the knives C is inserted.

The guide body 12b is made of plastics and offers plasticity. It retains the blade part Cl of the knives C inserted into such clearance SP. One circumferential edge 12d is formed thicker comparing with the thickness of the other circumferential edge 12c. The blade part Cl slidably connects withrespect to the circumferential edge 12d. There is provided with a protrusion 12e at the lower end of the

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circumferential edge 12d. A user can judge the slidable connecting side of the blade C1 quite easily at a glance.

A flange like engagement part 12a is formed on the aperture side of the guide body 12b. There is provided a flat tapered plate 12i at one side of the guide body 12b.

The other side of the guide body 12b is also provided with the other flat tapered plate 12i. Fig.2 and Fig.4 indicate one of the surfaces of the guide body 12b. The flat-tapered plate 12i and 12i are formed tapered in upright direction 10 and gradually expanded toward the blade guide 12A. One slit 12f is formed between the tapered part 12i and the circumferential edge 12c. Theotherslit 12fisformedbetween the flat tapered plate 12i and the circumferential edge 12d.

Upper end parts 12g, 12g are formed on the upper end of the flat tapered plates 12i, 12i. (Fig.2 and Fig.4 show one face S. only.) There are predetermined distance L between the upper end parts 12g, 12g and the engagement part 12a (refer to Fig.4A).

The blade guide 12A is, as shown in Fig.2, fitted into the insert hole 15A, and the engagement part 12a of said blade guide 12A is engaged with the cap part 11. Meanwhile, the lower end of the blade guide 12A is fitted into the support hole 14 of the support plate 13. The support hole 14 interferes with the flat tapered plates 12i, 12i gradually expanding upwardly. Then, each of the flat tapered plates 12i, 12i moves toward the direction to reduce the clearance SP due to actuation of slits 12f, 12f and the support hole 14 goes up further. When the support hole 14 goes over beyond the upper end parts 12g, 12g, the flat tapered plates 12i, 12i are released interference by the support hole 14 and expands due to elastic action of the guide body 12b. A position of the support plate 13 when the support hole 14 goes over the upper end parts 12g, 12g is indicated by the imaginary line in Fig.4C (hereinafter the position is referred to as a preparation position).

0 The circumference of the support plate 13 is folded downwardly and forms a connecting part 13a. In short, when the support plate 13 is housed within the cover part the connecting part 13a slides the inner surface to lead the support plate 13 to move (refer to Fig.4C). For this reason, stability of the support plate 13 is improved. The support plate 13 is prevented from being inclined in the cover part A bolt 16 passes through the support plate 13. When the blade guide 12A is reached to said preparation position, the bolt is screwed in. The tip end of the bolt 16 connects the inner surface of the cap part 11 and the support plate 13 is pressed downward. The support plate 13 is reached to the upper end parts 12g, 12g of the blade guide 12A (refer to the actual line in Fig. 4A). The support plate 13 is engaged with the upper end parts 12g, 12g and supported. The thickness of the cap part 11 is larger than the thickness of the cover part 20. The cap part 11 is endurable against the pressed bolt 16.

indicates inner state of the cover part 20. It is a cross sectional view of the knife block along the Z-Z line indicated in Fig.l. The support plate 13 is held in the cover part 20 to form a space 17. In short, inside surface of the cover part 20 and outside part of the support plate 13a are not touched throughout the circumference but the support plate 13 presents space between the cover plate 10 at its both sides along the longitudinal direction and thus a space 17 is generated. Accordingly, when inside of the cover part 20 is washed, water existing between the support plate and the cap part 11 is drained off smoothly (refer to As mentioned above, the holder part 10 with respect to the embodiment of the present invention comprises the cap part 11, a plurality of the blade guides 12A, 12A, the support plate 13, and bolts 16, 16.

The lower aperture of the cover part 20 is detachably fixed to the base plate 30. The structure thereof is explained with the accompanied drawings Fig.2, Fig.6A and Fig.6B.

Fig.6A indicates a perspective view of the lower aperture 21 of the cover part 20. Fig.6B is a cross section along the W-W line in Fig.6A. The lower part of the cover part 20 is sliced off with an inclination with respect to the center line CL of the cylinder (refer to Fig.6B) The sliced surface forms the lower aperture 21.

Meanwhile, there is formed a recessed part 31 on the base plate 30 made of hard rubber or rubber like material.

The configuration of a circumferential side wall 31a (refer to Fig.2) on the base plate 30 corresponds to the configuration of the lower aperture 21 of the cover part Thus, the lower aperture 21 of the cover part 20 is relatively and fixedly fitted to the circumferential side .i wall 31a from the inclined direction. Due to such configuration, the lower aperture 21 is placed horizontally with respect to the surface of the base plate 30. An acute angle part 21a of the lower aperture is engaged with the circumferential side wall 31a of the recessed part 31 of the base plate 30. Now the cover part 20 stands with an inclination but it stands stably. As the base plate 30 is made of hard rubber or rubber like material, the cover part 20 is always held stably due to elastic power of the material of the base plate 30. It is also easy to take out the cover part 20 from the circumferential side wall 31a of the base plate There are formed protrusions 21b, 21b, 21b around the circumferential edge of the lower aperture 21. The three protrusions 21b, 21b, 21b are intended to set the cover part stably on the base plate 30. It is thus required to provide said three protrusions at a position to connect them at least with a triangle configuration (refer to a dot line inFig.6A).

In particular, when configuration of the cross section of the cover part 20 presents an ellipse configuration, one protrusion 21b is placed on one end of the longitudinal axis and other two protrusions 21b and 21b are provided at contrast positions on the circumferential edge of the lower aperture 21 with respect to the center line of the longitudinal axis of the lower aperture. It goes without saying that the configuration of the lower aperture 21 of the cover part not strictly limited to a fixed ellipse configuration butotherconfigurationsuchasJapanese strawshoesorcocoon **are also included.

One end of said longitudinal axis of the lower aperture 21 indicates an acute angle part 21a. However, in the S" embodiment of the present invention, the other end of said longitudinal axis indicates an obtuse angle side part 21c .as shown with two dots line in Fig.6B.

The cover part 20 is surrounded with stainless steel plate and is welded two edges together. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention the edge to be welded is the other end of the longitudinal axis of the cover part Welding is performed along the edges of the cover plate starting from the obtuse angle side part 21c of the lower aperture 21. When welding is performed it is required to finish the welded parts with preferable finishing treatment such as grinding or the like. If the obtuse angle side part 21c should not be formed, a recess is appeared at the starting position of the welding and it becomes impossible to repair the cover part 20 afterward. Formation of the obtuse angle side part 21c is thus desired to conceal such a recess in finishing treatment.

Next, a method to assemble the knife block 1 according to the present invention and the effect thereof are explained with the accompanied drawings Fig.l, Fig.2 and Fig.4.

As shown in Fig.2, the lower part of the knife guide 12A is relatively fitted in the insert hole 15A. As shown 10 in Fig. 4, the flange like engagement part 12a formed on the fo upper part of the blade guide 12A is caught to the upper surface of the cap part 11.

Next, press the support plate 13 into the cover part 20. The support hole 14 of the support plate 13 is relatively fitted into the lower part of the blade guide 12A. When the support plate 13 is further pressed, the support plate 13 is reached to the preparation point indicated with the o imaginary lines in Fig.4.

When the support plate 13 is placed on the preparation point, bolts 16, 16 are tightened. The clearance between the support plate 13 and the cap part 11 is expanded and an engagement part 12a of the blade guide 12A is engaged with the cap part 11. The upper end parts 12g, 12g are assembled to the support plate 13. The holder part 10 is completely fixed to the upper aperture of the cover part Next, fix the lower aperture 21 of the cover part into the recess part 31 of the base plate 30. The cover part stands upright with a predetermined pertinent inclination.

The knife block is thus completed. When the knife block 1 is practically used, the base plate 10 is placed on a table.

As indicated in Fig.l, the cap part 11 stands upright with a predetermined pertinent inclination to use said knife block 1. The knives C are retained in the holder part 10 in the cap part 11. In practice, the knives C are inserted through .9 the clearance SP of the blade guide 12A. The blade guide 12A to receive the blade part C1 is fixed to the cap part 11 and the support plate 13. The direction of the knives C to be inserted is lead by the blade guide 12A and trembling defect in leftward and rightward direction is prevented.

Meanwhile, as inserting the blade part C1 a grip part C2 is engaged with the cap part 11 and stopped. In other words, the grip part C2 of the knives C is engaged with the cap part 11. In short, the grip part C2 of the knives C is engaged with the cap part 11 and it is placed between the blade guides 12A and 12A. The knives C retained as such are easily taken out when it is demanded. No drawers and no opening gate under the scullery is required. It is quite convenient to treat cooking materials.

When washing the knife block 1, it is easy to wash the cover part 20 taking out the knives C from the knife block 1 because the cover part 20and the base plate 30 are detachable.

There is a space 17 between the connecting part 13a of the support plate 13 and the inner surface of the cover part as shown in Fig.5. Water is easily drained out. Automatic washing machine is applied quite easily.

The inventor has explained the detail of the first embodiment of the present invention.

Next, the detail of the second embodiment of the present invention is explained. InFig.3B, as indicated in the first embodiment, there are provided a plurality of insert holes 15A, and the blade guides 12A, 12A, In this ~embodiment, a file bar insert hole 15B and the blade guide o o .12B are provided. The insert hole 15B and the blade guide 12B comprises a clearance SP. The configuration of the clearance SP is formed such that the crossing point of the longer axis and the shorter axis of the ellipse is piled on the center of the circle. The length of the shorter axis of the ellipse is shorter than the radius of the circle configuration.

In common, grinding part of the file bar presents circle or ellipse configuration. Thus, the above configuration of the insert hole 15B and the blade guide 12B is convenient to receive a file of circle or ellipse configuration.

According to the present invention, to house a plurality of knives and taking out them quickly becomes possible. It is very convenient to use them in cooking.

It is safer because the knives are guided by means of the 14 blade guide and safely retained. Each of the knives is independently kept without touching each other. The structure of the knife block according to the present invention is simple. It is easy to manufacture.

In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" is used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention.

H,\jolzik\keep\Speci\40862-OO.doc 25/03/04

Claims

1. A knife block for holding a plurality of knives each having a blade part and a grip part, the knife block comprising a hollow, substantially cylindrical cover part having an upper end and a lower end, a holder part in the upper end of the cover part and including therein a plurality of insert holes in each of which is located a blade guide incorporating therein a slot through which the blade part of an associated knife can be inserted, the grip part of each knife, in use, engaging the holder part to retain the knife in an operative position in the block in which the blade part thereof is housed within the cover part, and a base plate on which the lower end of the cover part is received such that, in use, the cover part extends upwardly from the base plate at an angle to the vertical, the block further comprising a support plate within the cover part and provided with a plurality of support holes each aligned with an associated one of the insert holes in the holder part, each blade guide comprising a pair of flat plates one to each side thereof tapering upwardly and outwardly of the blade guide towards the holder part of the block and each terminating in an upper edge located at an intermediate height of the blade guide, each blade guide fitting into an associated insert hole in the holder part and support hole in the support plate with the upper °edges of the flat plates abutting the underside of the support plate. oeoo

2. A knife block as claimed in claim 1 in which each :blade guide further comprises a flange like engagement part formed around an upper end thereof and which, with the blade guide fitting into the associated insert hole in the holder part and support hole in the support plate, abuts the outer surface of the holder part. Hs\jolzik\keep\Speci\40862-OO.doc 25/03/04 16

3. A knife block substantially as described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings. Dated this 25th day of March 2004 MASTER CUTLERY CORPORATION By their Patent Attorneys GRIFFITH HACK Fellows Institute of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys of Australia H:\joo1ik\keep\Speci\48o62-OO.doc 25/03/04