CN115517525A

CN115517525A - Multifunctional garlic press

Info

Publication number: CN115517525A
Application number: CN202210713314.0A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 陈树堂
Original assignee: Maxpat Trading and Marketing Far East Ltd
Current assignee: Maxpat Trading and Marketing Far East Ltd
Priority date: 2021-06-24
Filing date: 2022-06-22
Publication date: 2022-12-27
Also published as: CN218219869U; DE102022115791A1

Abstract

A multifunctional garlic press comprises: a first arm and a second arm having a first jaw portion, a second jaw portion and a handle portion, respectively, the jaw portions having respective inner side surfaces; a hinge connecting the first arm and the second arm for relative rotation; a member pivotally mounted for rotation between the inner sides; longitudinally spaced apart inner and outer chambers in the first jaw portion, each having a respective opening; a screen section on the member disposed in alignment with the opening of one of the inner and outer chambers; a plunger on the member disposed in alignment with the opening of the other of the inner and outer chambers; a seat on the inside face of the second jaw portion for engaging a member to move the plunger to eject the article from the other of the inner and outer chambers; a pusher pivotably coupled to the second jaw portion to project from an inner side of the second jaw portion, the pusher being arranged to align with the screen portion to push items in one of the inner and outer chambers through the screen portion.

Description

Multifunctional garlic press

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a garlic press which is suitable for performing another kitchen task in addition to crushing garlic cloves.

Background

Garlic presses are manually operated kitchen tools that typically include a pair of hingedly connected arms, each having a handle portion that provides leverage to eject a garlic clove from a chamber through a screen.

US6543344B1 describes a garlic press wherein one end of a food press bar is connected to one of the arms by a first pivot. Opposite ends of the lever are pivotally connected to the other arm and the other end of the food press bar, respectively. The hinge of the connecting arm is offset from the first pivot, forming the basis of a four-bar linkage which advantageously allows relatively small angular movement of the arm to produce a larger angular movement of the food plunger. This makes it easier for the food plunger to retract for better access when filling the garlic press and to expose the food plunger for cleaning. The screen is mounted by a first pivot and can be pivoted out of the chamber for cleaning.

There is a need for a garlic press that is adapted to perform other kitchen tasks in a safe, efficient and ergonomically advantageous manner, and avoids the need for other kitchen tools on hand. It is an object of the present invention to address this need, or more generally, to provide an improved garlic press.

Disclosure of Invention

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a multi-functional garlic press, comprising:

first and second arms having first and second jaw portions disposed at one longitudinal end of the arm, respectively, the jaw portions having respective inner side surfaces, and a handle portion at each opposite end;

a hinge connecting the first arm and the second arm for relative rotation to positions where the inner side surfaces are substantially opposed;

a member pivotally mounted for rotation between the inner sides;

an inner chamber and an outer chamber in the first jaw portion, each having a respective opening, the inner and outer chambers being longitudinally spaced from one another, wherein the outer chamber is adjacent an outermost end of the first jaw portion;

a screen section on the member, the screen section being disposed in alignment with the opening of one of the inner and outer chambers;

a plunger on the member, the plunger being disposed in alignment with the opening of the other of the inner chamber and the outer chamber to eject the article from the other of the inner chamber and the outer chamber, an

A pusher pivotably coupled to the first jaw portion to project from an inner side of the second jaw portion, the pusher being arranged to align with the screen portion to push items in one of the inner and outer chambers through the screen portion.

Preferably, a cutting grate is provided in the other of the inner and outer chambers, and the plunger pushes the articles through the cutting grate. Alternatively, the other of the inner and outer chambers may be configured for other purposes, as may the grippers for holding the skin of the garlic clove and cooperating with the plunger to eject the peeled garlic clove.

Preferably, the plunger comprises a plurality of protrusions having a shape complementary to the through holes present in the cutting grid.

Preferably, the garlic press further comprises a cutting blade secured to one of the jaws and disposed outside of the inner and outer chambers such that an edge of the cutting blade is disposed at or adjacent an outer support abutment of the one of the jaws.

Preferably, the cutting blade is fixed to the first jaw portion.

Preferably, the first jaw portion comprises an outer support abutment surface and the outer support abutment surface is defined by parallel lines aligned transversely to the longitudinal axis of the lever, and wherein at least the length of the cutting blade is aligned transversely.

Preferably, the outer support abutment surface is substantially planar.

Preferably, the cutting blade is flat and substantially perpendicular to the outer support abutment surface.

Preferably, the recess in the first jaw portion extends through the outer support abutment surface and the cutting blade defines one side of the recess. The groove may be for receiving at least a portion of an article to be cut.

Preferably, the longitudinally opposite ends of the cutting blade are fixed to the first jaw portion and the span of the cutting blade therebetween is unsupported.

Preferably, the first jaw portion comprises an elongate head in which at least an internal chamber is formed, and wherein the hinge is provided adjacent one longitudinal end of the elongate head and the cutting blade is secured adjacent the opposite end of the elongate head. The hinge may be at one longitudinal end of the arm, or the hinge may be at an intermediate position between the jaw portion and the handle portion.

Preferably, a neck connects the elongate head to the remainder of the first lever, and a wall separating the internal chamber from the recess extends from the neck to the outer support abutment surface.

Preferably, the pusher is coupled to one of the arms by a first pivot, the opposite ends of the lever are pivotally connected to the other of the arms and the pusher, respectively, and the hinge is offset from the first pivot.

Preferably, the member is pivotally mounted by a first pivot.

The present invention provides a multifunctional garlic press which is effective and efficient in operational use, and due to its versatility, a user can not only crush garlic but also slice it in a safe, efficient and ergonomically advantageous manner. The garlic press can be economically constructed and has an overall simple design that minimizes manufacturing costs and maximizes performance.

Drawings

Preferred forms of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a multi-functional garlic press according to an embodiment of the present invention in a closed position;

fig. 2 is a perspective view of the garlic press of fig. 1 in an open position.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view corresponding to FIG. 2; and

fig. 4 is a partial cut-away view in a longitudinal plane showing the assembly jaws of the garlic press of fig. 1 in an open position.

Detailed Description

An embodiment of a multi-functional garlic press 10 according to the present invention is shown in fig. 1 to 4. The garlic press 10 includes a first arm 11 and a second arm 12, each of which may be separately and integrally formed of a rigid polymeric material. The other main components are the member 13 and the pusher 14.

The hinge may comprise coaxial hinge portions 15a, 15b, the hinge portions 15a, 15b connecting the first arm 11 and the second arm 12 and may be provided near their longitudinal ends. The first and second jaw portions 16, 17 on the first and second arms 11, 12, respectively, each have an inner side surface 18, 19. At longitudinally opposite ends of the jaw portions 16, 17, the arms 11, 12 include handle portions 20, 21. The two arms 11, 12 may be generally channel-shaped in cross-section, comprising opposed flanges 22a/23a, 22b/23b connected by

webs

24a, 24 b. The first arm 11 may be in use in its lowermost position with the web 24a having a longitudinally concave outer side 25 and the web 24b of the arm 11 having a longitudinally convex outer side 26, these

sides

25, 26 forming an ergonomic gripping surface for the handle portion 20. As best shown in fig. 4, the hinge end of the arm 11 may be wider than the hinge end of the arm 11, in which the arm 11 is partially received, the hinge portions 15a, 15b engaging the respective web portions. The first arm 11 and the second arm 12 are pivotally connected by hinges 15a, 15b to rotate relative to each other to a position where the inner side faces 18, 19 are substantially opposite (i.e., the closed position of fig. 1). The first arm 11 and the second arm 12 may be generally tapered to narrow from their hinge ends toward their free ends.

The hinge end of the first jaw portion 11 may include an enlarged head 27 bounded by a neck 28, the neck 28 also defining an abrupt change in curvature relative to the remainder of the first arm 11. The head 27 includes an interior chamber 29. The interior chamber 29 may be bounded by parallel side walls 30, 31 extending from the

flanges

22a, 23b and a transverse wall 32 disposed generally opposite the hinges 15a, 15 b. Thus, the interior chamber 29 provides an opening 33 extending therethrough. Longitudinally spaced from the inner chamber 29 and separated therefrom by the transverse wall 32 is an outer chamber 34, the outer chamber 34 being bounded at its sides by the

flanges

22a, 23a and at its outer ends by the transverse wall 35. The head 27 may be elongate with the

hinges

22a, 22b disposed near one longitudinal end and a pair of projections 36 extending from opposite ends of the head 27. Extending through the neck 28, the transverse wall 32 opposes stress concentrations in this region and contributes to the strength and portability of the tool. The transverse wall 32 has a concave surface with a radius defined by its spacing from the axis 53.

A flat cutting blade 37 may be secured at its opposite end to the end of the boss 36 so as to extend transversely outside of the inner and outer chambers 29, 34. In this way, the span of the cutting blade 37 is unsupported and the recess 38 in the first jaw portion 11 is partially bounded by the blade 37 and the projection 36. The outer support abutment surface 39 of the head portion 27 comprises the edge of the protuberance 36 and is adapted to rest on a horizontal surface, supporting the tool vertically, with the long axis of the handle portion 20 steeply inclined to the horizontal. The support abutment surface 39 is defined by parallel lines aligned transverse to the longitudinal axes of the first and second arms 11, 12, and may be substantially flat. The transverse wall 32 extends to an outer support abutment surface 39. The edge of the cutting blade 37 may lie substantially in the plane of this support abutment surface 39, while the plane of the cutting blade 37 itself is arranged substantially perpendicular to the outer support abutment surface 39.

The outer chamber 34 in the first arm 11 also provides an opening extending therethrough, which may further include a cutting grate 40 disposed adjacent the outer side of the outer chamber 34. The cutting grid 40 may include an array of parallel cutters 41 for cutting articles pressed thereacross. The cutting grid 40 and the cutting blades 37 may be molded into the first arm 11.

Member 13 may be an assembly comprising a metal strip having a proximal end with a coaxial opening 42 through which a first pivot 43 is pivotally mounted for rotation between inner sides 18, 19. The member 13 comprises a screen section 44 adjacent the proximal end and a plunger 45 at its distal end. The screen section 44 can thus be inserted into and removed from the internal chamber 29 by rotation of the member 13 about the proximal end. Plunger 45 may include a plurality of protrusions 46 that are complementary in shape to cutting grid 40, i.e., for receipt in the spaces between cutters 41. Thus, rotation of the member 13 causes the plunger 45 to be angularly displaced, by which action the food is ejected or extruded from the outer chamber 34 through the through-holes, thereby slicing the food through the cutting grate 40.

The pusher 14 has a face 47 complementary to the screen section 44 and is used to push the garlic through the screen section 44. The pusher 14 is pivotally coupled to the first jaw portion 11 at one of its ends by a first pivot 43 which also fixes the member 13. The rod 48 is used to connect the pusher 14 and the second arm 12 such that relative rotation of the second arm 12 is used to extend and retract the pusher 14. A second pivot 49 on the pusher 14 opposite the first pivot 43 connects one end of the lever 48 to the pusher 14. The other end of the lever 48 is connected to the second arm 12 by a third pivot 50. As can be seen in fig. 1, the hinges 15a, 15b are offset from the first pivot 43 and this offset forms the basis of a four bar linkage.

In use, relative rotation between the first and second arms 11, 12 for separating their distal ends opens the jaws, after which the tool can be used for crushing or slicing.

To crush a garlic clove, relative rotation between the first arm 11 and the member 13 is first required to place the mesh portion 44 in the internal chamber 29. The garlic cloves are placed in the inner chamber 29 and placed on the screen portion 44, and then the arms 12, 16 are brought together, whereby the pusher 36 presses the garlic through the screen portion 44 towards the screen portion 44. The portions that contact the food product (e.g., the pusher 36, the screen section 44, and the cutting grate 40) may be made of stainless steel.

To slice the garlic cloves, the plunger 45 is retracted, the garlic cloves are placed in the outer compartment 34 over the cutting grate 40, and the distal ends of the arms 11, 12 are brought together, whereby the pusher 14 bears against the screen portion 44, pushing the plunger 45 towards the garlic cloves. The transverse edge 51 of the internal web 52 on the arm 12 may then abut the plunger 45 and move further so that the arms 11, 12 together press the garlic through the cutting grate 40 to discharge the slices.

Of course, garlic cloves can be placed in both the inner chamber 44 and the outer chamber 34, so that both garlic powder and garlic bits can be prepared simultaneously by a single action of the second lever 14 toward the first lever 12. For further versatility, the cutting blades 37 may be used to cut any unwanted portion of the garlic clove.

Aspects of the present invention have been described by way of example only and it should be appreciated that modifications and additions may be made thereto without departing from the scope thereof.

Claims

1. A multifunctional garlic press comprises:

first and second arms having first and second jaw portions respectively provided at one longitudinal end of the arms and a handle portion at each opposite end, the jaw portions having respective inner sides;

a hinge connecting the first arm and the second arm for relative rotation to a position where the inner side surfaces are substantially opposed;

a member pivotally mounted for rotation between the inner side surfaces;

the method is characterized in that:

an inner chamber and an outer chamber in the first jaw portion, each chamber having a respective opening, the inner and outer chambers being longitudinally spaced from one another, wherein the outer chamber is adjacent an outermost end of the first jaw portion;

a screen section on the member, the screen section being disposed in alignment with an opening of one of the inner and outer chambers;

a plunger on the member, the plunger being arranged to align with the opening of the other of the inner and outer chambers to eject an item from the other of the inner and outer chambers, an

A pusher pivotally coupled to the first jaw portion to protrude from an inner side of the second jaw portion, the pusher being disposed in alignment with the screen portion to push items in the one of the inner and outer chambers through the screen portion.

2. A multi-functional garlic press according to claim 1, wherein a cutting grate is provided in the other of the inner and outer chambers, and the plunger pushes items through the cutting grate.

3. A multi-functional garlic press according to claim 2, wherein the plunger comprises a plurality of protrusions having a shape complementary to the through holes present in the cutting grill.

4. A multi-functional garlic press according to any one of claims 1 to 3 further comprising a cutting blade secured to one of the jaws and disposed outside of the inner and outer chambers.

5. A multi-functional garlic press according to claim 4, wherein the cutting blade is fixed to the first jaw section.

6. A multi-functional garlic press according to claim 4, wherein the first jaw portion includes an outer support abutment surface defined by parallel lines that are transversely aligned transverse to the longitudinal axis of the lever, and wherein at least the length of the cutting blade is transversely aligned.

7. A multi-functional garlic press according to claim 5, wherein the first jaw portion includes an outer support abutment surface defined by parallel lines that are transversely aligned transverse to the longitudinal axis of the lever, and wherein at least the length of the cutting blade is transversely aligned.

8. A multi-functional garlic press according to claim 6 or 7 wherein the outer support abutment surface is flat or convex.

9. A multi-functional garlic press according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the cutting blade is flat and substantially perpendicular to the outer support abutment surface.

10. A multi-functional garlic press according to claim 6 or 7, further comprising a groove in the first jaw portion, the groove extending through the outer support abutment surface and the cutting blade defining one side of the groove.

11. A multi-functional garlic press according to any one of claims 4 to 7, wherein the longitudinally opposite ends of the cutting blade are fixed to the first jaw section and the span of the cutting blade is unsupported.

12. A multi-functional garlic press according to any one of claims 4 to 7, wherein the first jaw portion comprises an elongated head portion in which at least the internal chamber is formed, and wherein the hinge is disposed near one longitudinal end of the elongated head portion and the cutting blade is secured near an opposite end of the elongated head portion.

13. A multi-functional garlic press as recited in claim 9, further comprising a neck connecting the elongated head to the remainder of the first lever and a wall spacing the interior chamber from the groove and extending from the neck to the outer support abutment surface.