GB2393096A - A multifunction kitchen utensil - Google Patents

Abstract

A muliflunction kitchen utensil for the purpose of spreading,cutting and chopping of food includes a flat main application body portion 14 made of a flexible material having a spreader end 13 handle end 12 and two side ends. The spreader end may have a straight cutting edge 17 along its tip and curved end corners, and at least one of the side ends may have a serrated cutting edge 19. In use, food material being spread is applied to the main application body, then the application body is drawn over the surface of the object being covered, the food material being spread evenly by the flexible spreader end. The cutting edge of the spreader end is used to chop and cut food, while the serrated cutting edge of the side end is used to cut tougher food. The utensil may be provided as part of the lid of a container holding the spread (fig 4).

Description

( 1 2393096

A Kitchen Utensil The invention which is the subject of this application is a kitchen utensil which can be used to spread food material such as butter, margarine, jam and like.

In preparing food it is common to use different knives for different jobs. For instance when spreading butter on bread, a butter knife is required. For cutting food such as meat and tougher foods a serrated knife is needed and for cutting or chopping fruit or vegetables a sharp or wide bladed knife is required. However this means that preparing a meal and even a simple sandwich can involve as many as three or more knives being used resulting in more effort, more washing up and more time wasted.

A further problem is that while knives are commonly used for spreading spreadable foodstuffs such as margarine, the knife blade is not particularly well suited to firstly collecting the foodstuff and then spreading it on the surface. The use of the knife can therefore be messy and not particularly efficient.

A first aim of the invention is to provide a utensil that is able to remove a layer of spreadable foodstuff from a container, such as a tub of margarine, effectively and efficiently and without leaving holes in the surface of the remaining spread, unlike normal knives do, therefore leaving the surface flat and allowing the utensil to remove an easily visually measured amount of spread from the container each time the utensil is used.

A further aim of the present invention is to allow the use of one utensil for a number of foodstuff operations. Thus a multifunction utensil is provided for spreading, cutting and

2! chopping foods, therefore saving time when preparing food and making it easier to prepare as only one utensil is required.

In a first aspect of the invention there is provided a kitchen utensil, said utensil having a main body, a holder portion therewith and said main body is substantially planar with a free end acting as a means for applying a spreadable foodstuff held on the main body onto a surface of another item of food.

In one embodiment the holder portion is a handle. At least the main body of the utensil is preferably flexible material and can, for example, be of spring stainless steel or plastic to thereby improve the use of the same in spreading the food material.

Food material can be applied to the other item of food by the utensil in one smooth stroke and is smoothed out by pressing in along the main body to flex the same and allow the spreader end to distribute the food material in a uniform and smooth manner over the surface to which the material is being applied. Any excess material can be scraped off the surface by the spreader edge being pulled across the surface with the main body substantially perpendicular to the surface.

In one embodiment the utensil includes at least one cutting edge. In one embodiment the cutting edge is a straight, narrow edge of the bottom spreader portion of the utensil. In a further embodiment, instead of or in addition to the straight narrow cutting edge there is provided a serrated cutting edge.

In the embodiment including the cutting edges the utensil therefore has a number of uses. For example, in addition to spreading, food is able to be chopped by bringing the straight cutting edge of the bottom spreader end onto and through the

( 3 food, chopping it. Food is able to be cut by running the serrated side end through the food and cutting it.

In a further embodiment the kitchen utensil can be formed as part of packaging for the foodstuff with which it is to be used.

In one embodiment the utensil is provided as part of the lid for a tub.

The invention will be more readily understood with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Pigure 1 is an elevation of the kitchen utensil of the present invention j Figure 2 is a cross sectional plan view taken along line 2-2 of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an end view taken along line 3-3 of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention with the utensil incorporated into a container lid.

Referring to the drawings in greater detail, the kitchen utensil in this embodiment of the invention can be used for spreading, chopping and cutting food and is indicated by reference number 10, Figures 1 to 3.

In Figures 1 to 3, the kitchen utensil 10 includes a handle 11 by which a hand may grip the utensil. The front portion 12 of the handle 11 mounts the main body 13 having a front face 14 and a back face 15, with the body 1 fixedly mounted within the handle 1 1 as clearly shown in Figure 3.

( 4 The front face 14 and the back face 15 constitute the spreading surfaces of the utensil for applying food such as margarine, jam and other spreads to food such as bread, crackers and like. The main body 13 is made of a flexible material such as spring stainless steel or plastic.

When using the utensil for spreading, food material is applied to either one or both of the faces 14, 15. The face with the food material on it, is placed against the surface on which the material is to be spread and the handle 11 is used to flex the main body inward so that the main body approaches the same plane as the surface. Thereafter the utensil is dragged along the surface and in contact with the surface with the application of sufficient pressure causing the food material to spread outwardly from the face towards the spreader end 16, causing it to be smoothly and evenly distributed over the surface in one stroke.

The spreader end 16 has two curved corners 20 and 21 respectively. These corners are curved to stop the spreader end 16 from cutting into soft foods such as bread and like, when the utensil is dragged along their surface.

The utensil is provided with a straight cutting edge 17 along the tip of the spreader end 16, which can be used to cut foodstuffs.

When using the utensil to cut food, the utensil is brought downwards to bring the cutting edge 17 onto the food to be cut, and sufficient force can be applied through the handle 11 to cause the cutting edge 17 to chop through the food.

The utensil is also provided with a serrated cutting edge 19, Figures 1 and 3, along the side edge 18, of the main body. The serrated cutting edge is also used to cut through food. When using the utensil to cut food, the serrated cutting edge 19 is brought into contact with the food to be cut. Sufficient force

( 5 is then applied through the handle 11 so as to push the serrated edge 19 into the food to be cut and as this occurs the utensil is drawn backwards and forwards causing the serrated edge to saw its way through the food, cutting it.

In Figure 4 an alternative embodiment is illustrated. In this embodiment the utensil 10 is provided as part of the lid of a container 30 for margarine or like. For use, the utensil is slid out along channels 25 in the container, revealing the contents l and, once removed, the utensil can be used to spread the contents and replaced after use, being disposable with the container after the contents are used up.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it is to be understood that numerous changes, alterations and modifications thereof may be made without departing from the scope, spirit and intent of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

The utensil therefore has several advantages, one being that food use is reduced as when spreading, the utensil allows a thin film of food material to be spread on the object being covered, in an efficient an regular manner. Another advantage is that a smooth spread of food material on the object being covered is achieved therefore avoiding damage to the surface.

Another advantage is that there is provided a utensil that allows food to be chopped with ease and safety, reducing the chance of the user's fingers being cut, and reducing the number of utensils which need to be used for one food preparation process. The kitchen utensil can also be made in a simple and cheap manufacturing process.

Claims (1)

1- A kitchen utensil for spreading, chopping and cutting food, said utensil having a main body portion comprised of an applicator for carrying and spreading food material to be applied to a surface and a handle for gripping said utensil, said applicator having a spreader end.a handle end and two side ends, said applicator fixedly mounted to said handle end. 2A kitchen utensil for spreading, chopping and cutting food, said utensil having a handle portion and a main body portion comprised of an applicator for carrying and spreading food material to be applied to a surface, said applicator having a spreader end, a handle end and two side ends. Wherein said utensil is formed of a single peice construction. 3- A kitchen utensil according to claim 1 and 2 wherein said utensil is incorporated as part of a container, preferably the lid. 4- A kitchen utensil according to claim I and 2 wherein said applicator is made of a flexible material, preferably spring stainless steel or plastic.

5- A kitchen utensil according to claim 1 and 2 wherein said spreader end of said applicator has a cutting edge along its tip. 6- A kitchen utensil according to claim I and 2 wherein said spreader end of said applicator has curved corners.

7- A kitchen utensil according to claim I and 2 wherein one of said side ends of said applicator has a serrated cutting edge along its tip.