GB2460247A

GB2460247A - Food preparation device

Info

Publication number: GB2460247A
Application number: GB0809211A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andrew Derek Hall
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-05-21
Filing date: 2008-05-21
Publication date: 2009-11-25
Also published as: GB0809211D0

Abstract

A food preparation device 10 for cutting food such as pet food within a can comprises a frame 15, a handle 16 supported at one end of the frame and a base 12 comprising a plurality of apertures supported at the other end of the frame. The device further comprises a plate 17 and clamping means arranged for selectively clamping the plate in one of a plurality of separated positions from the base. A rod 18 may be attached to the plate 17 and extend through the handle. The rod may further comprise a plurality of recesses for cooperation with a clamping means housed within the handle and operated by a trigger 23 for selective positioning of the plate and therefore control of the amount of food extracted.

Description

FOOD PREPARATION DEVICE

The present invention relates to a food preparation device and particularly, but not exclusively, to a food preparation device for extracting food from within containers.

Canned pet food, such as dog food, is generally formed as a single unit within the can and so in order to remove the food from within the can it is necessary to first break up the food using a fork or similar device and then removing the desired quantity to a bowl for the pet. However, since the food is typically filled to the top of the can, then upon breaking up the food and removing the food to the bowl, it is common to spill the food and/or remove too much food from the can to the bowl.

In addition, it is to be appreciated that for pet owners having several pets, and for vets and zoo keepers who are required to feed many animals, that this is a time consuming process.

I have now devised a food preparation device which alleviates the above-mentioned problems.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a food preparation device, the device comprising a frame, a handle supported at one end of the frame and a base comprising a plurality of apertures supported at the other end of the frame, the device further comprising a plate and clamping means arranged for selectively clamping the plate in one of a plurality of separated positions from the base.

Preferably, the plate is arranged substantially parallel to the base at each of the plurality of separated positions.

Preferably, a rod is secured to the side of the plate substantially opposite the side facing the base and preferably extends away from the plate.

3D Preferably, the rod extends through the handle.

The rod preferably further passes through the clamping means housed within the handle.

Preferably, the clamping means is arranged in a normally clamped configuration and comprises a trigger for selectively releasing the clamping means.

The rod may preferably further comprise a plurality of recesses formed within the rod, substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the rod, and arranged along the length of the rod. Preferably, the recesses cooperate with the clamping means to provide for the selective positioning of the plate in one of the plurality of separated positions from the base.

Preferably, the frame comprises a plurality of graduation marks to provide an indication of the separation of the plate from the base.

An embodiment from the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1A is a perspective view of the food preparation device with the plate arranged near the base; Figure 1 B is a perspective view of the food preparation device with the plate fully separated from the base; Figure 2A is a perspective view of the food preparation device illustrating the position of the trigger with the clamping mechanism in the closed configuration; Figure 2B is a perspective view of the clamping mechanism in a closed configuration; Figure 2C is a perspective view of the food preparation device illustrating the position of the trigger with the clamping mechanism in the open configuration; Figure 20 is a perspective view of the clamping mechanism in the open configuration; and, Figure 3 is a schematic representation of the food preparation device during use.

Referring to the drawings and initially Figure 1, there is shown a food preparation device 10 which is used to cut up pet food within a can 11 or similar container, and subsequently extract a predefined amount of food from the can 11. The device 10 comprises a base 12 which is preferably circular in cross-section and suitably dimensioned so that it can be passed within a can 11 in which the food is contained.

The base 12 comprises a series of apertures 13 formed by a plurality of intersecting bars 14 or wires or similar, which pass across the base 12 within the plane of the base 12.

The base 12 is secured to the lower region of a frame 15 which comprises a pair of arms 15A, 15B that extend upwardly from the base 12 from substantially diametrically opposite positions on the circumference of the base 12. The arms 1 5A, 15B converge away from the base 12 to meet a handle 16.

Arranged within the frame 15, at a position intermediate the position of the handle 16 and the base 12, there is provided a plate 17 which is dimensioned to match the shape of the base 12 and which is orientated substantially parallel to the base 12.

The side of the plate 17 opposite the side which faces the base 12 is secured to a rod 18 which extends upwardly within the frame 15 and passes through the handle 16.

In passing through the handle 16, the rod 18 is arranged to pass through a clamping mechanism 19 as shown in Figures 2B and 2D, which comprises a first and second clamping plate 19, 20 respectively, arranged substantially opposite each other. The first clamping plate 19 is rigidly secured within the handle 16, while the second clamping plate 20 is secured to a pair of actuating arms 21A, 21B. The actuating arms 21A, 21B pass from the second clamping plate 20 and separately extend through an aperture (not shown) formed within a supporting plate 22 arranged beyond the first clamping plate 19, on an internal wall of the handle 16. The arms 21A, 21B subsequently extend to a trigger 23 which can pivot with respect to the handle 16 about a pivot (not shown), so as to move the actuating arms 21A, 21B relative to the support plate 22 and thus release the second clamping plate 20, which clamps the rod 18 to the first clamping plate 19.

In passing from the second clamping plate 20 to the support plate 22, the actuating arms 21A, 21B separately pass through a tension spring 24A, 24B, each of which is rigidly secured to the support plate 22 at one end and the second clamping plate 20 at the other. Accordingly, the tension springs 24A, 24B maintain the clamping mechanism in a normally clamped configuration as shown in Figure 2B.

In order to extract a predefined amount of pet food from a can for example, and simultaneously cut the food into manageable pieces for the pet, the trigger 23 is pivoted into the handle 16 as shown in Figure 2C thereby releasing the clamping mechanism as shown in Figure 2D. The user (not shown) then grips a flange 25 secured to the distal end of the rod 18 and moves the rod 18 and thus the plate 17 to a predefined separation from the base 12 (corresponding to a particular depth within the can 11 of food) as indicated by a series of graduation marks 26 arranged on the arms 15A, 15B of the frame 15. The trigger 23 is then released which causes the second clamping plate 20 to move toward the first clamping plate 19 under the bias of the springs 24A and 24B, so as to clamp the rod 18 and thus the separation of the plate 17 from the base 12.

Holding the device 10 firmly at the handle 16, the base 12 is then forced onto and within the food within the can 11 (shown schematically in Figure 3). The intersecting bars 14 arranged within the base 12 subsequently cut the food as the base 12 passes down into the can 11. The base 12 is pushed into the can 11 until the plate 17 abuts the upper surface of the food within the can 11, thereby indicating that the desired amount of food to be given to the pet has been cut. The device 10 is then partially rotated substantially about an axis comprising the rod 18, within the can 11, so as to separate the columns of cut food (not shown) from the remainder of the food within the can 11.

The device 10 is then lifted out from the can 11 and by virtue of the plate 17 and the partial rotation of the bars 14 under the columns of cut food, the columns of food are held between the base 12 and the plate 17. In this manner, the food held within the device 10 can subsequently be passed to a pet bowl and released thereto.

It is also envisaged that the rod 18 may comprise a series of recesses (not shown) formed within the rod 18, substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the rod 18, substantially along its length, for cooperating with the second clamping plate 20 so as to present a series of discrete positions within which the rod 18 and thus the plate can be positioned with respect to the base 12. The recesses (not shown) will thus further facilitate the selection of a predefined amount of food from the can 11.

From the foregoing therefore it is evident that the food preparation device of the present invention provides for a simple yet effective means of preparing and subsequently extracting food from within a container such as a can.

Claims

Claims 1. A food preparation device, the device comprising a frame, a handle supported at one end of the frame and a base comprising a plurality of apertures supported at the other end of the frame, the device further comprising a plate and clamping means arranged for selectively clamping the plate in one of a plurality of separated positions from the base.
2. A food preparation device according to claim 1, wherein the plate is arranged substantially parallel to the base at each of the plurality of separated positions.
3. A food preparation device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a rod which is secured to a side of the plate substantially opposite a side facing the base.
4. A food preparation device according to claim 3, wherein the rod extends away from the plate.
5. A food preparation device according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the rod extends through the handle. * S. * S.
6. A food preparation device according to any of claim 3 to 5, wherein the rod S... passes through the clamping means.
7. A food preparation device according to any of claims 3 to 6, wherein the rod * 25 further comprises a plurality of recesses formed therein, substantially transverse to a longitudinal axis of the rod, and arranged along the length of the rod.
8. A food preparation device according to claim 7, wherein the recesses cooperate with the clamping means to provide for the selective positioning of the plate in one of the plurality of separated positions from the base.
9. A food preparation device according to any preceding claim, wherein the frame comprises a plurality of graduation marks to provide an indication of the separation of the plate from the base.
10. A food preparation device according to any preceding claim, wherein the clamping means is housed within the handle.
11. A food preparation device according to any preceding claim, wherein the clamping means is arranged in a normally clamped configuration and comprises a trigger for selectively releasing the clamping means.
12. A food preparation device substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. * ** * S * * S. S. * S *S,. * . * . S * S.SS..... * S * .. * . . S *