FR3066363A1 - TOOL FOR BREAD SCARIFICATION - Google Patents

Abstract

Tool (1) for scarifying bread, the tool comprising a handle (12), and at least one blade (14) comprising at least one cutting edge, and at least one blade holder (13), the at least one a blade holder (13) comprising two ends along an extension direction (17), one of the two ends (15, 25) of the blade holder being attached to the handle (12) by an articulated attachment (15 , 16), (25,26) around at least one axis, the at least one blade (14) being fixed on the at least one blade holder (13).

Description

The present invention relates to the field of bread dough preparation tools, and more particularly that of bread scarification tools.

A scarification tool is a baker's tool that is used to make shallow incisions on the surface of the bread dough before raising and baking it. These incisions aim in particular to increase the volume gain of the bread during the fermentation process. To make these incisions, the baker uses a very fine and cutting blade, for example a razor blade, attached to a blade holder, at the end of a handle. The incisions are made by tilting the blade more or less close to the horizontal to split the surface of the dough over lengths and in directions determined relative to the length of the bread.

Different types of tools are known for scarifying bread: tools with an interchangeable or fixed blade, integral with the handle, tools with a straight or curved blade, and multi-blade tools which make it possible to scarify several loaves at a time.

Known scarification tools do not, however, allow: to customize the position of the blade relative to the handle; a completely satisfactory grip.

The object of the invention is therefore to propose a solution to all or part of these problems.

To this end, the present invention relates to a tool for scarifying bread, the tool comprising a handle, and at least one blade comprising at least one cutting side, and at least one blade holder, the at least one holder blade comprising two ends along an extension direction, one of the two ends of the blade holder being attached to the handle by an articulated fixing around at least one axis, the at least one blade being fixed on the at least one blade holder.

According to one aspect of the invention, the articulated fixing is articulated around three axes.

According to one aspect of the invention, the articulated fixing comprises a spherical ball joint force-clipped in a complementary female ball joint.

According to one aspect of the invention, the male ball joint is fixed to the end of the blade holder and the complementary female ball joint is fixed to the handle.

According to one aspect of the invention, the male ball joint is fixed to the handle and the complementary female ball joint is fixed to the end of the blade holder. Thanks to this arrangement, the blade holder is more resistant mechanically, and the male patella better protected from the bread dough.

According to one aspect of the invention, the articulated attachment comprises at least one notch for locking the blade holder in a determined angular position relative to the handle.

Thanks to these provisions, the orientation of the blade holder relative to the axis of the handle is adjustable around one axis or three axes depending on the embodiment chosen.

According to one aspect of the invention, one of the two ends of the blade holder is attached to the handle in a removable manner.

According to one aspect of the invention, the at least one blade is rectangular and planar, the at least one blade being fixed to the blade holder so that the at least one cutting side is oriented in the direction of extension.

Thanks to these arrangements, the cutting edges of the blade are parallel, which facilitates their sharpening.

According to one aspect of the invention, the at least one blade is a plane cone section, symmetrical about an axis of symmetry, the at least one cutting side being one of the sides of the cone located on either side of the axis of symmetry, the at least one blade being fixed to the blade holder so that the axis of symmetry is oriented in the direction of extension.

Thanks to these provisions, the shape of the blade makes it possible to create an angle between the cutting edge and the axis of the handle.

According to one aspect of the invention, the at least one blade comprises a concave cutting side.

According to one aspect of the invention, the at least one blade is made of metal or plastic.

According to one aspect of the invention, the at least one blade holder comprises a part covering at least a part of the cutting side of the at least one blade.

Thanks to these provisions, the user's fingers are protected from the edge of the blade.

According to one aspect of the invention, the at least one blade and the at least one blade holder are made in one piece.

According to one aspect of the invention, the at least one blade is not contained in a plane.

According to one aspect of the invention, the handle comprises at least one hollow area or at least one protruding protrusion to wedge at least one finger of a user.

According to one aspect of the invention, the handle comprises two ends along a direction of extension of the handle, with a first end of the handle which carries the articulated attachment, and a second end of the handle opposite to the first end of the handle in the direction of extension of the handle and a middle of the handle between the first end of the handle and the second end of the handle, and a front portion located between the first end and the middle of the handle, and a rear portion located between the second end and the middle of the handle, and wherein the at least one hollow area or the at least one protruding protrusion comprises a hollow area or protruding protrusion located on the front portion, and a hollow area or protruding protrusion on the portion back.

According to one aspect of the invention, one of the two ends of the blade holder attached to the handle is detachably fixed to the blade holder.

For a good understanding, the invention is described with reference to the attached drawings showing, by way of nonlimiting example, different embodiments of a scarification tool according to the invention.

Figure la is a view of a scarification tool according to a first embodiment of the invention, with a single axis of rotation of the blade holder relative to the handle, in projection on a plane defined by the two main directions of extension of the tool.

Figure lb is a top view of the scarification tool of Figure la, in section in a plane passing through the axis AA and perpendicular to the plane of Figure la.

Figures le to le are top views, in the same plane as the cutting plane of Figure lb, showing the scarification tool with different angular orientations of the blade holder relative to the handle.

Figure lf is a perspective view of the blade holder, showing more particularly its end carrying the articulated attachment.

Figure lg is a perspective view of the handle, more particularly showing the articulated fixing.

Figure 2a is a view of a scarification tool according to a second embodiment of the invention, with three axes of rotation of the blade holder relative to the handle, in projection on a plane defined by the two main directions of extension of the tool.

Figure 2b is a top view of the scarification tool of Figure 2a, in section in a plane passing through the axis AA and perpendicular to the plane of Figure 2a.

Figures 2c and 2d are top views, in the same plane as the section plane of Figure 2b, showing the scarification tool with different angular orientations of the blade holder relative to the handle.

Figure 2e is a view of the end of the blade holder which carries the articulated attachment, in projection in a plane perpendicular to the axis AA.

Figure 2f is a perspective view of the blade holder, having more particularly its end carrying the articulated fixing.

Figure 2g is a perspective view of the handle.

Figure 3 is a side view of a scarification tool with a fixing articulated along 3 axes and a handle with wedging zones for the fingers.

Figure 4 is a top view of a multi-blade scarification tool with a hinged attachment along 3 axes on each blade holder.

Figure 5a and Figure 5b show respectively a side and top view of a curved blade holder.

Figure 6a and 6b show a breakable blade holder in two parts.

A first embodiment of a scarification tool according to the invention is presented in projection on a plane in Figure la, and according to a top view in section in Figure lb.

Whatever the embodiment considered, the scarification tool 1 consists of 3 main parts: at least one blade 14, at least one blade holder 13, and one handle 12. The blade holder extends mainly in two directions, which define the main extension plane of the scarification tool: a first direction, called extension direction 17, and a direction transverse to the extension direction 17, in the projection plane of FIG. 1a or 2a. According to the direction of extension 17, the blade holder is provided with two ends. One end of the blade holder in this direction of extension 17 is an extension 15 secured to the blade holder, configured to nest with a complementary extension 16 secured to the handle, the two extensions 15 and 16 having a common axis oriented along the direction of the plane of the scarification tool, transverse to direction 17. The blade holder 13 and the handle 12 are movable in rotation about this axis. The two extensions 15 and 16 together form an articulated attachment 15, 16 of the blade holder 13 on the handle 12, articulated around a single axis according to this embodiment. The scarification tool according to this first embodiment is shown in Figures 1a to 1c in top view, in projection in a plane transverse to the axis of rotation of the articulated attachment 15, 16, for different angular orientations of the door. blade compared to the handle.

A second embodiment of a scarification tool according to the invention is shown in a side view in Figure 2a, and in a top view in section in Figure 2b. According to this embodiment, the end of the blade holder 13 which is attached to the handle 12 is a male spherical ball joint 25, integral with the blade holder; this ball joint is force-clipped into a female cavity 26, integral with the handle 12, of shape complementary to the spherical ball joint 25. In this second embodiment, the fixing of the blade holder 13 to the handle 12 is articulated around 3 axes.

Another variant of the invention with a 3-axis hinge is shown in Figures 2e to 2g; this variant differs from the previous one in that the male spherical ball joint 26 is integral with the handle 12, and in that the female imprint 25, in which the spherical ball joint is clipped in force, is integral with the blade holder 13. This variant has the following advantages:

the part supporting the blade is more massive and therefore more resistant mechanically;

the ball joint is opposite to and separated from the bread dough by the female imprint which thus protects it from the risk of food retention.

In these different embodiments, the blade holder 13, although movable around a single or three axes, can be locked in a determined angular position relative to the handle. For this purpose, the mere friction of the two interacting surfaces 15, 25 and 16, 26 at the joint may be sufficient; different notches can also be provided on these surfaces to improve the holding in angular position. One can for example apply the known principle used for blocking in angular position the branches of protective glasses. This embodiment of the angular position locking mechanism for articulation along a single axis is illustrated in Figures lf and lg. According to this embodiment, a male cylindrical element 16 is forcibly fitted into a complementary female cylindrical element 15, inside of which positioning cavities 15c are formed, oriented longitudinally along the axis of rotation of the joint; the angular position of the male cylindrical element is maintained by the action of an elastic protuberance 16e of the male cylindrical element, protuberance configured to cooperate with the cavities 15c.

In the case of a 3-axis articulation, this blocking can also be ensured by producing spherical cavities 25c and grooves 25r, as illustrated in FIGS. 2e and 2f, hollowed out on the internal surface of the female spherical ball joint 25; these cavities 25c and grooves 25r cooperate with complementary spherical protrusions 26s positioned on the surface of the male spherical ball joint which comes to force fit inside the female spherical ball joint 25. According to a particular embodiment shown in the figures, the interior of the female ball joint has at least 9 spherical cavities 25c distributed as follows: one in the center in the axis of the handle and 8 others positioned around at 45 ° from each other. The male ball joint has on its main axis a projection 26e of a shape complementary to the 9 cavities 25c, which is positioned in one of the 9 cavities. The choice of the cavity 25c in which the projection 26e is positioned, determines an angular position of the blade holder 13 relative to the handle 12, but allows rotation of the blade holder about its axis. To determine the angular position of the blade holder 13 around its axis, the interior surface of the hollow female ball joint 25 also has at least 8 grooves. A second spherical protuberance located on the surface of the male spherical ball joint, on an axis perpendicular to the main axis of the blade holder is positioned in one of the 8 aforementioned grooves. Thus the blade holder can be rotated around its main axis, and held in a determined angular position, in steps of 45 °. According to another embodiment, the angular pitch can be less than 45 ° if the spherical cavities positioned around the central cavity are placed, in greater number and at a greater distance from the central cavity.

The cavities 25c can also be replaced by other angular or ribbed structures of the honeycomb type. The micro-structures produced on the surface of the spherical ball joint 26 can be in relief and those produced on the surface of the female imprint 25 hollow, as shown in FIGS. 2e to 2g, but one can also make the reverse. The relative mobility of one part relative to the other is made possible by an elasticity of the female imprint just sufficient to allow the surface of the latter to deviate slightly from the surface of the male patella, allowing micro - relief structures to move from a hollow microstructure to another hollow microstructure, inside the female footprint.

Whatever the embodiment chosen for the joint, the blade 14 can be made of metal and in a rectangular format, such as for example a razor blade according to the known standard; this format has the advantage of facilitating its sharpening.

The blade 14 can also have a planar shape in cone section, which allows an angle between the edge of the blade and the axis of the handle. The edge of the blade 14 can also have a more or less curved shape, like that of a mop for example. These variants are not shown in the drawings.

In both cases, the blade 14 is fixed to the blade holder by being inserted between two parallel portions 13.1,13.2 of the blade holder, manufactured according to a known overmolding process, so that the blade 14 is integral with the blade holder 13.

According to another variant, the blade can be produced in one piece with the blade holder, the blade 14 and the blade holder 13 then constituting a single piece. This single piece 13, 14 can, for example, be made of a specific plastic material in order to ensure an appropriate cutting edge of the blade. This variant is not shown in the drawings.

According to yet another variant, presented in FIGS. 5a and 5b, the blade holder 53 and the blade 54 can have a curved shape, cylindrical for example. This variant can obviously be declined with a metal, rectangular, conical, or plastic blade. These variants are not shown in the drawings.

Whatever the variant considered, the assembly of the blade and blade holder sub-assembly in all cases provides that the part of the blade which is located near the handle is partially covered by the blade holder so as to protect the tool operator fingers.

According to a multi-blade variant, represented in FIG. 4, the handle 12 of the scarification tool comprises at its end a transverse beam 49 to which are fixed integrally, and at determined and / or adjustable distances from each other, several points of articulation 16, to which a complementary end 15 of a blade holder 13 can be attached. The transverse beam 49 can be extensible to adjust the scarification gap.

According to another variant, illustrated in FIG. 3, the handle 12 may include one or more hollow zones 31 to allow the fingers of the user of the scarification tool to be wedged, in particular near the articulation to allow the wedging thumb. A second embodiment of the wedging zones of the fingers is illustrated in FIGS. 1a to 11c with protuberances 18, 19 projecting transversely to the plane of extension of the handle of the tool.

According to a last variant illustrated in Figures 6a and 6b, a breakable zone 20 may be introduced between the part 13.1,13.2 of the blade holder 13 supporting the blade 14, and the end 15 of the blade holder attached to the end of the handle 12 to constitute the articulated fixing. The advantage of this variant is to allow, when the blade 14 has become out of order, to separate a first part of the blade holder mainly made of metal, from a second part made only of plastic which can be eliminated in a bin for recycling; this second part includes not only the handle but also the portion of the blade holder which cooperate with the end of the handle to form the articulated attachment of the scarification tool.

Claims (15)

1. Tool (1) intended for scarifying bread, the tool comprising a handle (12), and at least one blade (14) comprising at least one cutting side, and at least one blade holder (13), the at least one blade holder (13) comprising two ends along an extension direction (17), one of the two ends (15, 25) of the blade holder being attached to the handle (12) by an articulated fixing ( (15, 16), (25,26)) around at least one axis, the at least one blade (14) being fixed on the at least one blade holder (13). 2. Tool (1) according to claim 1, wherein the articulated fixing ((15, 16), (25,26)) is articulated around three axes. 3. Tool (1) according to claim 2, wherein the articulated fixing ((15, 16), (25,26)) comprises a spherical ball joint (25) clipped by force into a complementary female ball joint (26). 4. Tool (1) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the articulated attachment comprises at least one locking notch (15c, 16e) of the blade holder (13) in a determined angular position relative to the handle (12) . 5. Tool (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein one of the two ends (15, 25) of the blade holder (13) is removably attached to the handle. 6. Tool (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one blade (14) is rectangular and planar, the at least one blade being fixed to the blade holder so that the at least one side cutting edge is oriented in the direction of extension (17). 7. Tool (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one blade (14) is a plane cone section, symmetrical about an axis of symmetry, the at least one cutting side being one of the sides of the cone located on either side of the axis of symmetry, the at least one blade being fixed to the blade holder so that the axis of symmetry is oriented in the direction of extension (17). 8. Tool (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one blade (14) comprises a concave cutting side. 9. Tool (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one blade (14) is made of metal or plastic. 10. Tool (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one blade holder (13) comprises a portion (13 ') covering at least a portion of the cutting side of the at least one blade (14) . 11. Tool (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one blade (14) and the at least one blade holder (13) are made in one piece. 12. Tool (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one blade (14) is not contained in a plane. 13. Tool (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the handle (12) comprises at least one hollow area (31) or at least one protruding protrusion (18,19) for wedging at least one finger an user. 14. Tool (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein the handle comprises two ends along a direction of extension of the handle, with a first end of the handle which carries the articulated attachment, and a second end of the handle opposite to the first end of the handle in the direction of extension of the handle and a middle of the handle between the first end of the handle and the second end of the handle, and a front portion located between the first end and the middle of the handle, and a rear portion located between the second end and the middle of the handle, and wherein the at least one hollow zone (31) or the at least one protruding protrusion (18,19) comprises a hollow zone (31) or a protruding protrusion (18 ) located on the front portion, and a hollow area or protruding protrusion (19) on the rear portion. 15. Tool (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein one of the two ends (15,25) of the blade holder (13) attached to the handle (12) is detachably attached to the blade holder (13 ).