GB2471519A

GB2471519A - Hand operated food liquidizer

Info

Publication number: GB2471519A
Application number: GB0911538A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Victoria Williams
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-07-03
Filing date: 2009-07-03
Publication date: 2011-01-05
Also published as: GB0911538D0

Abstract

Hand operated food liquidizer comprising a receptacle 10 with an abrasion surface 16 and a drainage portion 18. The abrasion surface 16 is formed with a plurality of raised protrusions, while the drainage portion 18 forms a moat around the outer edge of the abrasion surface. The device also has a pouring spout 12 and an easy grip handle 14. The raised protrusions forming the abrasion surface may be spikes, spikes with a rounded end, or spikes with a flat end. They may also be pyramidal, or conical, semi-hemispherical or semi-ellipsoidal. They may be arranged in a regular or irregular pattern. In use food is drawn against and over the abrasion surface with the liquid purée so produced draining and collecting in the drainage portion.

Description

A Hand Operated Food Liquidizer

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a hand operated food liquidizer that is particularly suitable for use by parents of a baby in the preparation of a pureed food from ingredients such as fresh fruit and vegetables, whether they are cooked or uncooked.

Background Art

Parents ideally want to give their babies fresh fruit and vegetables; often in pureed form, but in practice they often have to rely on manufactured (processed) purees that generally contain undesirable preservatives. The alternative is to use a traditional electrically powered kitchen liquidizer/blender; such blenders are complex and relatively bulky, difficult to clean and not suitable for outdoor use.

Disclosure of Invention

In one aspect the invention comprises a hand operated food liquidizer having a receptacle with a abrasion surface that has a plurality of raised protrusions distributed there-over; and a drainage portion such that in use food may be at least partly liquidized by a user drawing the food against and over said abrasion surface; the liquid puree (liquidized food) so produced draining and collecting in said drainage portion.

The receptacle typically comprises a side wall or walls and a base (bottom) that includes at least said abrasion surface or drainage portion. Preferably, the drainage portion is situated adjacent to and below said abrasion surface. This assists flow of liquidized food as it is formed to the storage (drainage) portion. Preferably, the drainage portion comprises a moat that surrounds the abrasion surface; this moat may be annular in shape (when viewed from above).

Exceptionally the drainage portion may also have said raised protrusions distributed at least over a part thereof.

The raised protrusions may comprise spikes or rods. Preferably the protrusions have a rounded top portion rather than a sharp point; this helps avoid the production of lumps (as common with a grater) and encourages the production of finely dispersed solid food normally within fluid released from the food during use of the apparatus. Optionally the protrusions may be spike, pyramid, rod or cone shaped. The protrusions may also be semi-hemispherical or semi-ellipsoidal in shape.

Preferably, the protrusions are distributed over the abrasion surface in a regular pattern. For example, the regular pattern may comprise protrusions that are centred on a regular or staggered matrix. Preferably any particular protrusion is separated from the nearest adjacent protrusion by a distance in the range 1-5 mm. More preferably any particular protrusion is separated from the nearest adjacent protrusion by a distance in the range 2-4 mm. The height of the protrusions above the abrasion surface may be in the range 1-5mm and preferably in the range 2-4mm.

Where the receptacle is circular (in plan view) the diameter may be in the range 100-200mm.

The receptacle may be made as a unitary moulded item; for example plastics materials.

The abrasion surface may be flat. Preferably the abrasion surface falls away from the centre towards the surrounding drainage portion. This assists drainage under the influence of gravity alone. The shape of the abrasion surface when viewed from above may vary; for example it may be elliptical, circular, square, polygonal or star-shaped.

Preferably, the receptacle has a spout to assist pouring out of any residual juice collected in the drainage portion after use, and also a handle to assist holding by a user.

The present invention provides an easily portable liquidizer especially useful for preparing baby food. It can be just 100-150 mm in diameter and so be easily carried in a pocket, handbag or the like. It has the advantage of being mechanically very simple and of not requiring an electrical supply. It can be made cheaply from plastics materials so that it is light weight and easily washed/sterilized.

Brief Description of the Drawing

The following diagrammatic figures illustrate specific embodiments of the invention: Figure 1 shows a plan view of a liquidizer according to the present invention; Figure 2 shows a sectioned side view along the lines A-A'; Figure 3 shows a side view corresponding to Figure 1; Figure 4 shows an underside view corresponding to Figure 1; Figure 5 shows a sectioned side view of another liquidizer according to the invention that has larger protrusions; and Figure 6 shows an enlarged view of some of the protrusions for an embodiment of the invention where the protrusions are elliptical in cross section.

Detailed Description of the Invention

Figures 1-4 illustrate a first embodiment of the invention. The liquidizer comprises a vessel (10) capable of containing a liquid; the vessel has a spout (12) and a grip handle (14). The main body of the vessel comprises a central area (16) having an abrasion surface and a drainage portion (1 8) that preferably surround the abrasion surface (16) and that is located lower than that surface. The abrasion surface comprises an array of individual pyramids; each pyramid separated from the nearest adjacent pyramid by a distance of about 3mm. preferably, the apex (top) of each pyramid is at least slightly rounded. This helps avoid a grating action when the apparatus is used to liquidize food. The liquidizer typically has a diameter of 130 mm and depth of 25mm; allowing easy storage.

In use a suitable food (such as piece of fruit or vegetable -either raw or cooked) is liquidized by a user drawing and rubbing the food against and over said abrasion surface; the smooth liquid puree so produced drains from the abrasion surface (16) and collecting in the surrounding drainage portion (18). Thus, the device not only releases any juice in the food but also finely disperses the non-liquid part of the food (excluding any stones etc.) in this juice. During feeding a user can spoon pureed food out of the drainage portion to feed a baby. Following this step, there may be some residual juice remaining in the drainage portion. The spout (12) enables the user to readily pour such residual juice, either for storage elsewhere or disposal. The underside of the receptacle (see Figure 4) may have a ring (20) attached thereto; the rink typically being made of rubber or a similar material; to assist grip and stability of the liquidizer on a working surface and also to absorb shock. The user can easily control the amount of food pureed and so produce the exact amount of puree desired; thereby avoiding any wastage of food.

Figure 5 shows a cross section (similar to that of Figure 2) for a further embodiment where individual protrusions 22 are somewhat larger. The enlarged view of some of the protrusions shows the curved apex (top) (24) of individual cone-shaped protrusions.

Figure 6 shows a similar enlarged view of some of the protrusions where they are elliptical in cross section.

The present invention can be used outdoors; is small, lightweight, and needs no power supply helping to reduce the user's carbon footprint. No cleaning chemicals have to be used it can be simply rinsed in hot water to sterilize. This invention has no moving parts and so is not subject to failure in the way traditional motorised liquidizers are. It is very inexpensive to produce therefore this saving is passed on to the consumer.

This invention not only purees, it also handles any excess juice that separates during spooning of puree to a baby; allowing removal of such juice using the spout. In contrast, a traditional liquidizer/blender will finely blend the food without separating any excess juice.

Claims

CLAIMSI. A hand operated food liquidizer comprising a receptacle with a abrasion surface that has a plurality of raised protrusions distributed thereover; and a drainage portion such that in use food may be at least partly liquidized by a user drawing the food against and over said abrasion surface; the liquid puree so produced draining and collecting in said drainage portion.
2. A liquidizer according to Claim I where the drainage portion is adjacent said abrasion surface.
3. A liquidizer according to any preceding claim where the drainage portion comprises a moat that surrounds said abrasion surface.
4. A liquidizer according to Claim 3 where the moat is annular in shape.
5. A liquidizer according to any of Claims 2 to 4 where the drainage portion also has said raised protrusions distributed at least over a part thereof.
6. A liquidizer according to any preceding claim wherein the raised portions are spikes or spikes with a rounded end or spikes with a flat end.
7. A liquidizer according to Claim 6 where the spikes comprise a pyramid a rod or a cone.
8. A liquidizer according to any of Claims I to 6 where the protrusions are semi hemispherical or semi-ellipsoidal in shape.
9. A liquidizer where the protrusions are distributed over the abrasion surface in a regular pattern.
10. A liquidizer according to Claim 9 where the regular pattern comprises protrusions that are centred on a regular or staggered matrix.
11. A liquidizer where the abrasion surface is flat.
12. A liquidizer where the abrasion surface when viewed from above is elliptical, circular, square, polygonal or star-shaped.
13. A liquidizer according to any preceding claim where any particular protrusion is separated from the nearest adjacent protrusion by a distance in the range 1-5 mm.
14. A liquidizer according to Claim 13 where any particular protrusion is separated from the nearest adjacent protrusion by a distance in the range 2-4 mm.
15. A liquidizer according to any preceding claim where the receptacle has a spout to assist separation of excess juice, collected in the drainage portion, by pouring from the juice from the receptacle.