GB2615065A

GB2615065A - Peeler

Info

Publication number: GB2615065A
Application number: GB2200120.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mcnair-Chaplin Christopher
Original assignee: Easilife Innovations Ltd
Current assignee: Easilife Innovations Ltd
Priority date: 2022-01-06
Filing date: 2022-01-06
Publication date: 2023-08-02

Abstract

A multi-function peeler comprises a casing adapted to be held in the hand of a user, a motor, a drive member arranged to be driven by the motor, a switchable blade holder 2, and one or more blades 1 carried on or by the blade holder. Two or more types of blade holder can be fitted to the casing and caused to move by operation of the drive member. The peeler is configured such that the same drive member motion causes different movement types for different blade holder types. The motion can be orbital and reciprocating.

Description

PEELER

The present invention relates generally to a peeler and particularly, although not necessarily exclusively, to a motorised peeler for removing the outer layer (the "skin" or "peel") of fruits and vegetables A peeler is a kitchen tool widely used for preparing fruit and vegetables for direct consumption or cooking, and typically comprise a fixed or swivellable metal cutting blade mounted to a handle.

There are numerous designs of peelers used today. Most handheld peelers are either straight or Y-type, while the particular designs vary depending on region and personal preference. A Y-type peeler or speed peeler has a blade perpendicular to its handle, a design closely resembling a safety razor. It is used with a similar action to a razor, shaving off skin in strips parallel to the handle. Most "Y" and inline pivoting peelers have a straight blade. Some have a curved blade which is a closer fit to the contour of an item being peeled.

The present invention seeks to provide improvements in or relating to peelers.

An aspect of the present invention provides a multi-function peeler comprising a casing adapted to be held in the hand of a user, a motor, a drive member arranged to be driven by the motor, a switchable blade holder, and one or more blades carried on or by the blade holder, in which two or more types of blade holder can be fitted to the casing and caused to move by operation of the drive member, in which the peeler is configured such that the same drive member motion causes different movement types for different blade holder types.

In some embodiments a first blade holder type the drive member causes orbital motion of the blade/s relative to the casing and for a second blade holder type the drive member causes a reciprocating motion, whereby the same drive member is used for two different blade holder movements.

The present invention also provides a dual function peeler comprising a casing adapted to be held in the hand of a user, a motor, a drive member arranged to be driven by the motor, a switchable blade holder, and one or more blades carried on or by the blade holder, in which for a first blade holder type the drive member causes orbital motion of the blade/s relative to the casing and for a second blade holder type the drive member causes a reciprocating motion, whereby the same drive member is used for two movements.

In some aspects and embodiments the drive member is an eccentric drive hub.

Two or more different blade movements are achieved using the same eccentric drive hub.

The orbital motion may be generally elliptical.

In some embodiments the motion is substantially the same as the motion of the 25 drive member.

The reciprocating motion may be generally linear.

The blade holder (or each type of blade holder) may have a drive aperture in 5 which the drive member drivingly engages.

In some embodiments the drive aperture is generally rectangular, for example a rounded rectangle In some embodiments the drive aperture is generally circular.

In some embodiments the aperture includes or is provided with a bush bearing.

The blade holder may be generally Y-shape.

The present invention also provides a peeler system comprising a peeler as claimed in any preceding claim, in combination with a plurality of different switchable holder types.

An electrical ON-OFF switch may be provided on or by the casing.

Blades may be formed of a metallic or plastics material.

The peeler may be provided with an on-board power source, such as a battery.

Alternatively or additionally the peeler may be operable by a mains supply.

A battery may be a re-chargeable battery and/or the motor may be arranged to be supplied from a mains supply, for example via an isolation transformer and an electric cable.

Where the battery is re-chargeable, the casing may include a compartment for the re-chargeable battery arranged so that the battery is easily removable for charging.

In one embodiment, the housing includes a re-charging socket for use to allow the battery to be re-charged in situ.

A battery may in some cases be maintained in a charged condition by an induction charging arrangement provided in a peeler mounting/storing bracket.

In some embodiments an orbital action blade holder is provided. The holder may have a bush bearing located at a drive hub end This is the end at which the motor is positioned on a base plate.

The orbital action blade holder may be driven by an eccentrically mounted drive hub which rotates within the bush bearing and is guided at the front by two vertical posts, which are effectively fulcrum pins.

The orbital action blade holder may be secured to the base plate by the underside of a base cover which slides on and off the base plate and is itself secured by four securing points. It may be made to slide on and off easily to facilitate changing blades, which are simply lifted on and off as required.

The blade holder may follow an elliptical path, which, at around 7500 rpm (for example), results in effortless peeling.

The reciprocating action blade holder may be different in that its movement may be determined by the drive hub rotating within an aperture at the drive hub end. Its width may be designed to slide between base cover securing points and two guide posts. The eccentric drive may move the reciprocating action blade holder in a reciprocating path backwards and forwards, not possible with the orbital movement. It is necessary because the orbital movement is not capable of efficiently moving blades in this way for functions which require straight line cutting, such as slicing julienne strips, zesting and grating etc. The reciprocating action blade holder may be secured to the base plate in the same way as the orbital action blade holder, with the same method of removing/replacing.

The present invention may be based on a principle of using one drive hub for two movements.

Different aspects and embodiments of the invention may be used separately or together.

Further particular and preferred aspects of the present invention are set out in the accompanying independent and dependent claims. Features of the dependent claims may be combined with the features of the independent claims as appropriate, and in combination other than those explicitly set out in the claims. Each aspect can be carried out independently of the other aspects or in combination with one or more of the other aspects.

The present invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Example embodiments are shown and described in sufficient detail to enable those of ordinary skill in the art to embody and implement the systems and processes herein described It is important to understand that embodiments can be provided in many alternate forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein.

Accordingly, while embodiments can be modified in various ways and take on various alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown in the drawings and described in detail below as examples. There is no intent to limit to the particular forms disclosed. On the contrary, all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the appended claims should be included.

The invention is not limited in the design and shape of the structure shown in the drawings.

The terminology used herein to describe embodiments is not intended to limit the scope. The articles "a," "an," and "the" are singular in that they have a single referent, however the use of the singular form in the present document should 5 not preclude the presence of more than one referent. In other words, elements referred to in the singular can number one or more, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise It will be further understood that the terms "comprises," "comprising," "includes," and/or "including," when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, items, steps, operations, elements, and/or 10 components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, items, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein are to be interpreted as is customary in the art. It will be further understood that terms in common usage should also be interpreted as is customary in the relevant art and not in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

Referring now to Figures 1 to 4, a peeler is shown in which two different blade movements are achieved using the same eccentric drive hub.

Reciprocating Action -Figures 1 and 2 The Blade Holder (2) is different in that its movement is determined by the Drive Hub (5) rotating within an Aperture (7) at the Drive Hub (5) end.

The Drive Hub is mounted eccentrically on the Motor Shaft (which has an axis perpendicular to the Blade Holder). The Drive Hub therefore rotates in a eccentric path.

In this embodiment the Aperture (7) is generally rectangular.

Its width is designed to slide between the Base Cover Securing Points (4) and the Two Guide Posts (8). The eccentric drive moves the Blade Holder (2) in a reciprocating path backwards and forwards, not possible with the orbital movement. It is necessary because the orbital movement is not capable of efficiently moving blades in this way for functions which require straight line cutting, such as slicing julienne strips, zesting and grating etc. It is secured to the Base Plate (3) in the same way as the orbital action Blade Holder, with the same method of removing/replacing.

Orbital Action -Figure 3 and 4 The Blade Holder has a Bush Bearing (7) located at the Drive Hub (5) end. This is the end at which the Motor is positioned on the Base Plate (3) The Blade Holder (2) is driven by the eccentrically mounted Drive Hub (5) which rotates within the Bush Bearing (7) and is guided at the front by two vertical Posts (8), which are effectively Fulcrum Pins.

The Blade Holder (2) is secured to the Base Plate by the underside of the Base Cover (not shown) which slides on and off the Base Plate (3) and is itself secured by the four securing points (4). It is made to slide on and off easily to facilitate changing blades, which are simply lifted on and off as required.

In this embodiment the Drive Aperture (and the included Bush Bearing) is generally circular.

Due to the interaction of the eccentric Drive Hub in the circular Drive Aperture the Blade Holder (2) follows an elliptical path, which, at around 7500 rpm On this embodiment), results in effortless peeling.

In use, the peeler is brought up against the surfaces of the fruit or vegetables to be peeled or prepared in the normal way. The shape of the blade holder drive aperture determines the motion of the blade holder caused by the eccentric motion of the drive hub.

Although illustrative embodiments of the invention have been disclosed in detail herein, it is understood that the invention is not limited to the precise embodiments shown and that various changes and modifications can be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A multi-function peeler comprising a casing adapted to be held in the hand of a user, a motor, a drive member arranged to be driven by the motor, a switchable blade holder, and one or more blades carried on or by the blade holder, in which two or more types of blade holder can be fitted to the casing and caused to move by operation of the drive member, in which the peeler is configured such that the same drive member motion causes different movement types for different blade holder types.
2. A peeler as claimed in claim 1, in which for a first blade holder type the drive member causes orbital motion of the blade/s relative to the casing and for a second blade holder type the drive member causes a reciprocating motion, whereby the same drive member is used for two different blade holder movements.
3. A dual function peeler comprising a casing adapted to be held in the hand of a user, a motor, a drive member arranged to be driven by the motor, a switchable blade holder, and one or more blades carried on or by the blade holder, in which for a first blade holder type the drive member causes orbital motion of the blade/s relative to the casing and for a second blade holder type the drive member causes a reciprocating motion, whereby the same drive member is used for two different blade holder movements.
A peeler as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the drive member is an eccentric drive hub.
5. A peeler as claimed in any of claims 2 to 4, in which the orbital motion is elliptical.
A peeler as claimed in any of claims 2 to 5, in which the reciprocating motion is linear.
7. A peeler as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the blade holder has a drive aperture in which the drive member drivingly engages.
A peeler as claimed in claim 7, in which the drive aperture is generally rectangular.
A peeler as claimed in claim 7, in which the drive aperture is generally circular.
10. A peeler as claimed in any of claims 7 to 9, in which the aperture includes or is provided with a bush bearing.
11. A peeler as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the blade holder is generally Y-shape
12. A peeler system comprising a peeler as claimed in any preceding claim, in combination with a plurality of different switchable holder types.