GB2284171A - Coded catering equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

Catering equipment, such as a knife or a chopping board, is provided with a code in the form of a symbol 5 representative of the intended use of the utensil. In addition to being provided with a symbol representative of the intended use of the equipment, the symbol may be colour coded to indicate the intended use. The catering equipment may be provided with different symbols representative of the intended use thereof. Where the catering equipment is in the form of knives, for example, the symbols may be representative of a group of foodstuffs each knife is intended to be used to cut. The symbols may be applied by means of a transfer or by printing. <IMAGE>

Description

CODING OF CATERING EQUIPMENT The present invention is concerned with the coding of catering equipment such as utensils and chopping boards and, more particularly but not exclusively is concerned with the coding of knives such as professional catering knives.

Good working practice in catering kitchens, food preparation and food serving areas entails the use of separate knives for the preparation and serving of different foodstuffs. This practice requires knives to be identified for use with a particular group of foodstuffs and is a requirement of the relevant United Kingdom authorities. Current accepted practice entails the application or incorporation of colour into the handles of the knives according to the following categories: red - raw meat; blue - raw fish; yellow - cooked meat; green - fruit; brown - vegetables; and white - dairy products.

We have found that colour coding of the knives gives rise to a number of difficulties. Users of the knives who suffer from colour identification difficulties (such as colour blindness) cannot readily identify knives belonging to different groups; users with poor long-term memories or learning difficulties cannot be relied upon to remember the colour associated with a particular foodstuff; and even the use of a chart or the like, for example mounted on a wall, listing the use for each colour does not aid those with reading difficulties who may not be able to interpret the chart correctly.

In addition, a knife with a handle of uniform colour introduces the problem that food residue may blend with the colour of the handle and may not be washed from the handle when the knife is cleaned, thereby creating a potential breeding ground for bacteria.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a coding system for catering equipment, such as professional catering knives, which is readily understood by all potential users.

According to the present invention catering equipment is provided with a code in the form of a symbol representative of the intended use of the utensil.

The utensil may be in the form of a knife or a chopping board.

In addition to being provided with a symbol representative of the intended use of the equipment, the symbol may be colour coded to indicate the intended use.

The invention is also concerned with a range of equipment provided with different symbols representative of the intended use thereof. Where the catering equipment is in the form of knives, the symbols may be representative of a group of foodstuffs each knife is intended to be used to cut. The symbols may take the following forms:: raw meat - a symbol in the form of one or more items of raw meat, such as a "chop"; raw fish - a symbol in the form of one or more items of raw fish, such as a fish; cooked meat - a symbol in the form of one or more items of cooked meat, such as a cooked ham with a number of slices cut therefrom; fruit - a symbol in the form of one or more items of fruit, such as a pear, an apple and two cherries; vegetables - a symbol in the form of one or more vegetables, such as a potato, a mushroom and a carrot; and dairy products - a symbol in the form of one or more dairy products, such as a cheese with a wedge cut out.

The symbols may be colour coded in the following manner: raw meat - red; raw fish - blue; cooked meat - yellow; fruit - green; vegetables - brown; and dairy products - white.

If desired, one or more of the symbols, or of the items thereof, may be provided with an outline or with markings in a contrasting colour, such as black.

The handles of the knives may be of a uniform colour, such as white.

The symbols may be printed onto the handles of the knives in a non-toxic ink or by means of a transfer. The handles of the knives may be cleaned prior to printing, for example with a polypropylene liquid wash. The utensil may be flamed prior to and/or after printing. Although the ink may dry to the touch within two or three minutes, the ink is preferably allowed to dry to full hardness over a period of about seven days.

For a better understanding of the present invention and to show more clearly how it may be carried into effect reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings in which: Figures la to if illustrate one embodiment of various symbols to be applied to catering equipment; and Figure 2 illustrates one of the symbols, that of Figure ib, applied to the handle of catering equipment in the form of a knife.

As can be seen by reference to Figure 2 of the drawings the knives are provided with a handle 1 of uniform colour, such as white, in order that any food residues can readily been seen and washed off the handle of a knife as well as the blade 3 thereof. Applied to opposite sides of the handle of each knife in a highly visible region thereof, for example a region towards that end of the handle adjacent to the blade (the region where in use the thumb lies), is a simple and readily understood symbol 5 which incorporates that colour associated with the particular group of foodstuffs with which the knife is to be used, as follows:: raw meat - a symbol of a "chop" in red; raw fish - a symbol of a fish in blue with black markings; cooked meat - a symbol of a cooked ham with a number of slices cut therefrom in yellow with a black outline; fruit - a symbol of a pear, an apple and two cherries in green with a black outline; vegetables - a symbol of a potato, a mushroom and a carrot in brown with a black outline; and dairy products - a symbol in white of a whole cheese with a wedge cut out, with a black outline.

The symbols have been chosen with a view to easy identification of the intended use of the equipment, such as a knife, to which the particular symbol has been applied. However, it is clear that alternative symbols can be selected from the group of foodstuffs for which the knife is to be used.

The accepted colours have additionally been incorporated into the symbols to comply with current United Kingdom legislation so that users of the knives who are familiar with current practice should be able readily to interchange between the conventional colour coding and the symbol coding according to the present invention.

The symbols can be applied to the handles of the knives by an indirect pad printing system. The handles of the knives are first cleaned with a polypropylene liquid wash and then flame polished, or at least flame-cleaned, to ensure good adhesion of the printing ink to the handle and are then mounted in a jig for the printing process to ensure correct registration between the handle and the symbol to be printed.

The symbol to be printed is etched onto a stainless steel plate which is secured in position on the pad printing machine. A non-toxic printing ink, such as that sold under the name "Coates", of the appropriate colour is spread onto the plate and excess ink is wiped to one side with a squeegee to leave an ink deposit on the etched area of the plate.

The ink from the etched area of the plate is picked up by a silicone printing pad which prints the ink onto the handle of the knife in the desired position.

The knife is removed from the jig and placed on a drying tray. The ink is dry to the touch within about two or three minutes.

If a second colour is required to complete the symbol, the printing process is repeated with a second plate for the second colour.

After printing, the handle is again flamed to seal the ink to the handle.

As an alternative to inks, transfers may be used.

The ink dries to full dishwasher and abrasion resistance over a period of about seven days.

Claims (18)

1. Catering equipment provided with a code in the form of a symbol representative of the intended use of the utensil.

2. Catering equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the utensil is in the form of a knife or a chopping board.

3. Catering equipment as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the symbol is representative of a group of foodstuffs the utensil is intended to be used with.

4. Catering equipment as claimed in claim 3, wherein the symbol is selected from the following forms: raw meat - a symbol in the form of one or more items of raw meat, such as a "chop"; raw fish - a symbol in the form of one or more items of raw fish, such as a fish; cooked meat - a symbol in the form of one or more items of cooked meat, such as a cooked ham with a number of slices cut therefrom; fruit - a symbol in the form of one or more items of fruit, such as a pear, an apple and two cherries; vegetables - a symbol in the form of one or more vegetables, such as a potato, a mushroom and a carrot; and dairy products - a symbol in the form of one or more dairy products, such as a cheese with a wedge cut out.

5. Catering equipment as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the symbol is colour coded to indicate the intended use of the utensil.

6. Catering equipment as claimed in claim 5, wherein the symbol is colour coded in the following manner: raw meat - red; raw fish - blue; cooked meat - yellow; fruit - green; vegetables - brown; and dairy products - white.

7. Catering equipment as claimed in claim 6, wherein the symbols, or part thereof, is provided with an outline or with markings in a contrasting colour, such as black.

8. Catering equipment as claimed in claim 6 or 7, wherein the handle of the utensil is of a uniform colour, such as white.

9. Catering equipment as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the symbol is printed onto the utensil in a nontoxic ink.

10. Catering equipment as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the symbol is printed onto the utensil by means of a transfer.

11. Catering equipment substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.

12. A method of manufacturing catering equipment as claimed in any preceding claim, and including the step of cleaning the handle of the utensil prior to printing.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the handle is cleaned with a polypropylene liquid wash.

14. Catering equipment as claimed in claim 12 or 13, wherein the utensil is flamed prior to printing.

15. Catering equipment as claimed in claim 12, 13 or 14, wherein the utensil is flamed after printing.

16. A method according to any one of claims 12 to 15, wherein the ink is dry to the touch within two or three minutes of printing.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein the ink is allowed to dry to full hardness over a period of about seven days.

18. A method of manufacturing catering equipment substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.