IL199868A - Apparatus for shaping croquettes - Google Patents

Description

AN APPARATUS FOR SHAPING CROQUETTES AN APPARATUS FOR SHAPING CROQUETTES Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the field of food preparation appliances. More particularly, the invention relates to an apparatus for shaping croquettes, patties, and so on.

Background of the Invention The term croquette refers to a chunk of food, usually comprising minced meat and/or vegetables, shaped as sphere, oval, cylinder, and the like. It is common to encase croquettes in breadcrumbs, and deep-fry them.

Shaping croquettes may be carried out manually, or using an apparatus for this purpose. Using an apparatus is common in food buffets, hotel kitchens, and the like, where a large quantity of croquettes is produced, and as such, automation is helpful.

Each of Figs, la and lb is a sectional view schematically illustrating a different state in operating an apparatus for shaping croquettes, according to the prior art. Such apparatus is common in falafel buffets, where the quantity of fried croquettes is semi-industrial. The prior art apparatus for shaping croquettes is marked herein by reference numeral 50'.

The apparatus for shaping falafel croquettes, as illustrated in Figs, la and lb, comprises a vessel 26 opened on its "upper" side. The inner side of vessel 26 is marked by reference numeral 24. At the state illustrated in Fig. la, a user inserts sticky dough 30 into the vessel, from its opening. Afterwards, the dough, which acquires the inner shape of the vessel, i.e., a form of croquette, is pushed by a piston 20 out of the vessel, into a frying apparatus or the like. In this operation, the inner side 24 of vessel 26 is used as a shaft to piston 20, i.e., determines the course of piston 20. Piston 20 is connected by a transmission 16' (in this case, a bar) to a lever 12, which is operated by the user thereof.

The apparatus operates in two states'- in the first state, which is illustrated in Fig. la, piston 20 is at the "bottom" of vessel 26. This allows filling the vessel with sticky dough, from which the croquette is produced.

After filling space 24 by dough 30, the user pushes lever 12 in direction b (specified in the illustration), which pushes piston 20 towards the top of vessel 26, thereby thrusting the shaped croquette out of vessel 26, into a frying vessel (not illustrated) or the like. The end of this move is illustrated in Fig. 2a.

The apparatus for shaping falafel croquettes also comprises a handle 10 to be held by a user. While holding the handle, the user turns lever 12 with his thumb from one state to the other state, and back.

By moving lever 12 in direction a, the apparatus reaches the state illustrated in Fig. la. In this state, the user fills falafel dough 30 into space 24, which is confined by vessel 26.

It should be noted that moving lever 12 by the thumb in directions a and b while grasping handle 10, is not a natural movement, as the thumb has to be folded and unfolded. As a user carries out this procedure repeatedly, his thumb may suffer from disorders such as temporary penalization.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a solution to the above-mentioned and other problems of the prior art.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

Summary of the Invention In one aspect, the present invention is directed to an apparatus for shaping croquettes, the apparatus, which is illustrated for example in Fig. 2, comprises: - a vessel (26), the inner space thereof (24) being used for shaping dough into a croquette! ■ a piston (20), movable in the vessel, for pushing the croquette out of the vesseL' - a lever (12), for applying force; - a transmission (16), for transmitting the force to the piston (20); - wherein the movement direction of the lever is substantially perpendicular to the movement direction of the piston; or - wherein the size of the apparatus is suitable to be operated by a human palm,* or ■ wherein the force is applied by a motor or any other way.

According to one embodiment of the invention, (illustrated in Figs. 3a and 3b), the transmission comprises' - a perpendicular shaft (48); and ■ a flexible bar (16) connecting the piston (20) with the lever (12).

According to another embodiment of the invention (illustrated in Figs. 5a and 5b), the transmission comprises' ■ a first shaft (48a) and a corresponding first movable member (16a), connected to the lever (12); ■ a second shaft (48b) and a corresponding second movable member (16b); - wherein the first shaft (48a) and the second shaft (48b) are substantially perpendicular; and - wherein the edge of the second movable member is sloped, thereby upon applying force on the lever (12), moving the piston towards the opening of the second shaft.

The apparatus may further comprise a spring (22), for turning the lever back after being pushed.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the lever (12) is in the form of a loop (illustrated in Figs. 6a and 6b), for allowing turning the lever forth and back with or without using a spring.

Fig 4 shows other forms of the inner space. According to one embodiment the inner space (24), may be a prism. The bases of the prism may be elliptical (32), star (34), and so on.

Preferably, the prism is part of a replaceable mold.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the surface (28) of the piston (20) is the negative form of an image, thereby croquettes produced comprise the image.

The above-mentioned motor of the apparatus for shaping croquettes may be an electric motor.

The above-mentioned motor of the apparatus for shaping croquettes may employ hydraulic transmission.

The foregoing embodiments of the invention are described and illustrated in conjunction with systems and methods thereof, which are meant to be merely illustrative, and not limiting.

Brief Description of the Drawings Embodiments and features of the present invention are described herein in conjunction with the following drawings: Each of Figs, la and lb is a sectional view schematically illustrating a different state in the operating an apparatus for shaping croquettes, according to the prior art.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view schematically illustrating an apparatus for shaping croquettes, according to one embodiment of the invention.

Each of Figs. 3a and 3b is cross-section A"A defined in Fig. 2, which schematically illustrates the structure of apparatus 50 illustrated in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 schematically illustrates an apparatus for shaping croquettes, according to a further embodiment of the invention.

Each of Figs. 5a and 5b is a cross- section, which schematically illustrates the structure and operation of an apparatus for shaping croquettes, according to another embodiment of the invention.

Each of Figs. 6a and 6b schematically illustrates an apparatus for shaping croquettes, according to another embodiment of the invention.

It should be understood that the drawings necessarily drawn to scale.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments The present invention will be understood from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, which are meant to be descriptive and not limiting. For the sake of brevity, some well-known features, methods, systems, procedures, components, circuits, and so on, are not described in detail.

The present invention deals with the above-mentioned problem and other problems of the prior art by an apparatus in which the lever is operated by opening and closing the user's hand. The operation of opening and closing a hand is a more natural than moving a thumb. As such, the medical problems that characterize manual operation in a semi-industrial production are eliminated.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view schematically illustrating an apparatus for shaping croquettes, according to one embodiment of the invention. The apparatus is marked herein by reference numeral 50.

The size of apparatus 50 allows a user to grab it with his palm, thereby providing two benefits: (a) the force is applied by the user's palm rather than by the user's thumb, and as such the applied power is divided along the entire palm)". (b) the movement carried out by the palm is a natural movement, in contrast to the prior art in which the movement carried out by the thumb is a "less" natural movement, and as such causes health problems.

More particularly, when applying force on lever 12 in the b direction (see illustration), piston 20 moves in the c direction (see illustration), thereby pushing the croquette inside vessel 26 out of the vessel.

Thus, according to this embodiment of the invention, the entire user's palm pushes out croquettes, in contrast to the prior art, in which it is the thumb that operates the lever.

Also seen in Fig. 2 is inner space 24 of vessel 26, in which the croquette dough is placed, and spring 22 that returns the lever to its original position. When piston 20 moves in the C direction, the shaped dough, i.e., the croquette to be fried, is pushed out of vessel 26.

Lever 12 is connected to the body of apparatus 50 by an axle 14. Reference numeral 18 denotes a dowel that connects spring 22 with lever 12.

Each of Figs. 3a and 3b is cross-section A-A defined in Fig. 2, which schematically illustrates the structure of apparatus 50 illustrated in Fig. 2.

In the state illustrated in Fig. 3a, a user fills vessel 26 with dough 30, thereby shaping the dough to a croquette. In the state illustrated in Fig. 3b, the user pushes the croquette out of vessel 26 into a frying vessel (not illustrated).

According to this embodiment of the invention, the linear movement of pressing lever 12 (the direction is demonstrated by arrow (b)) is converted to a perpendicular movement of the piston. Referring to the figures, the movement demonstrated by arrows (a) and (b) is perpendicular to the movement demonstrated by arrow (c).

The perpendicular movement is achieved by a perpendicular shaft 48, and power transmitter 16, which in this case is a flexible bar, in order to be able to bend. Power transmitter 16 is the mechanism that passes the power applied on lever 12 to piston 20.

Thus, the major difference between apparatus 50 (as illustrated in Figs. 2, 3a and 3b) and apparatus 50' (as illustrated in Figs, la and lb) is that while in apparatus 50' (the prior art) the linear movement of lever 12 is in the same direction as the movement of piston 20, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 2, 3a and 3b, the movement direction of the lever is perpendicular to the movement direction of the piston, thereby allowing using the entire palm as the power source, instead of a thumb as in the prior art.

According to one embodiment of the invention, a mold 28 is attached to piston 20. The mold may comprise a negative image of a symbol and the like, thereby imprinting the image in produced croquettes. Of course, the surface of the piston may be used as a mold.

Also illustrated in this figure is an accessory, which is marked by reference numeral 52, whose purpose is to allow compressing the dough inside space 24.

Fig. 4 schematically illustrates an apparatus for shaping croquettes, according to a further, embodiment of the invention.

According to this embodiment of the invention, the produced croquettes may be shaped in different forms. For example, member 32 is a mold having the form of an elliptical prism, and accordingly the generated croquettes will have the form of elliptical prisms.

Member 34 is a mold having the form of a star prism, and accordingly the croquettes it produces will have the same form.

The size of each of molds 32 and 34 corresponds to the inner side of cylinder 26 (i.e., space 24), thereby allowing replacing one mold with another.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the mold is an entity separate from said apparatus, thereby allowing replacing the mold with another one.

Each of Figs. 5a and 5b is in cross-section, which schematically illustrates the structure and operation of an apparatus for shaping croquettes, according to another embodiment of the invention.

The power transmitter in this case comprises two rigid objects 16a and 16b, and two corresponding shafts 48a and 48b. Shaft 48a is perpendicular to shaft 48b, thereby object 16a is movable perpendicularly to object 16b.

The edge of object 16a touches edge 40 of object 16b. Edge 40 is sloped, thereby upon applying force by object 16a on edge 40 (i.e., when object 16a moves in direction b), the object 16b moves in direction c, which is perpendicular to direction b. A spring (not illustrated) may be used for pulling element 16b back, i.e., oppositely to direction c.

Each of Figs. 6a and 6b schematically illustrates an apparatus for shaping croquettes, according to another embodiment of the invention.

According to this embodiment of the invention lever 12 is designed as a loop, thereby allowing the fingers of a user to operate the lever in the two states described above. As such, the spring used in the embodiment of Fig. 2 becomes unnecessary.

An additional difference between the embodiments of Figs. 6 and Fig. 2 is that while the apparatus of Fig. 2 is designed for use by the right hand, the apparatus of Figs. 6 is designed for use by the left hand.

In the embodiment of Figs. 6, the bottom of vessel 26 comprises an opening 38, the size of which corresponds to the size of frame 36. Thus, vessel 26 may be replaced with another vessel, such as vessel 26'. The dashed arrows illustrates the way vessel 26 (or 26') are attached to frame 36.

The interior side of vessel 26' is in the form of an elliptic prism. Nevertheless, its bottom side comprises an opening (not illustrated) the size of which corresponds to the size of frame 36.

Of course, these are merely examples, and other mechanisms may be used to convert power in one direction to power in a substantially perpendicular direction.

In the figures and/or description herein, the following reference numerals have been mentioned: - numeral 10 denotes the body of an apparatus for shaping croquettes; ■ numeral 12 denotes a lever! - numeral 14 denotes an axle,' ■ each of numerals 16 and 16' denotes a power transition,' ■ each of numeral 16a and 6b denotes a part of a power transmission; - numeral 18 denotes a dowel; - each of numerals 20 and 20' denotes a piston that pushes a croquette out of space 24,' - numeral 22 denotes a spring; - numeral 24 denotes the inner space (shaft) of vessel 26, which is used as a vessel for shaping the form of produced croquettes; - numeral 26 denotes a vessel; - numeral 28 denotes a mold; - numeral 30 denotes the dough of a shaped croquette; - numeral 32 denotes a mold having the form of an elliptical prism; - numeral 34 denotes a mold having the form of a star prism,' - numeral 36 denotes a frame corresponding to opening 38; ■ numeral 38 denotes an opening corresponding to frame 36; - numeral 40 denotes a sloped edge of object 16b; - each of numerals 48, 48', 48a and 48b denotes a shaft; ■ numeral 50 denotes an apparatus for shaping croquettes, according to one embodiment of the invention,' and - numeral 50' denotes an apparatus for shaping croquettes, according to the prior art.

The foregoing description and illustrations of the embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the above description in any form.

Any term that has been defined above and used in the claims, should to be interpreted according to this definition. 9380 What is claimed is'-

Claims (12)

1. An apparatus for shaping croquettes, the apparatus comprising: " a vessel, the inner space thereof being used for shaping dough into a croquette; " a piston, movable in said vessel, for pushing said croquette out of said vessel; " a lever, for applying force! " a transmission, for transmitting said force to said piston; " wherein the movement direction of said lever is substantially perpendicular to the movement direction of said piston; or " wherein the size of said apparatus is suitable to be operated by a human palm; or " wherein said force is applied by a motor.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said transmission comprises: - a perpendicular shaft; and ■ a flexible bar connecting said piston with said lever.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said transmission comprises^ 9380 - 17 - a first shaft and a corresponding first movable member, connected to said lever! a second shaft and a corresponding second movable member; wherein said first shaft and said second shaft are substantially perpendicular! and wherein the edge of said second movable member is sloped, thereby upon applying force on said lever, moving said piston towards the opening of said second shaft.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a spring, for turning said lever back after being pushed.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said lever is in the form of a loop, for allowing turning said lever forth and back.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the form of said inner space is of a prism.

7. An apparatus according claim 6, wherein the bases of said prism has an elliptic form.

8. An apparatus according claim 6, wherein the bases of said prism has a star form.

9. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said prism is part of a replaceable mold. 9380 - 18 -

10. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the surface of said piston is the negative form of an image, thereby croquettes produced comprise said image.

11. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said motor is electric motor.

12. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said motor employs hydraulic transmission. 9380 - 19 - ABSTRACT In one aspect, the present invention is directed to an apparatus for shaping croquettes, the apparatus comprising'- a vessel (26), the inner space thereof (24) being used for shaping dough into a croquette; a piston (20), movable in the vessel, for pushing the croquette out of the vessel; a lever (12), for applying force! a transmission (16), for transmitting the force to the piston (20); wherein the movement direction of the lever is substantially perpendicular to the movement direction of the piston; or wherein the size of the apparatus is suitable to be operated by a human palm; or wherein the force is applied by a motor.