US20090145308A1

US20090145308A1 - Egg cracker

Info

Publication number: US20090145308A1
Application number: US12/218,013
Authority: US
Inventors: Chang Tsung Chih
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-12-10
Filing date: 2008-07-11
Publication date: 2009-06-11
Also published as: TWM338042U

Abstract

An egg cracker includes a cracking apparatus having a semi-egg-shaped and a sharpened inner annular hooked portion formed on an enlarged lower edge of the cracking apparatus. The cracking apparatus includes a protrusion extending therefrom and a hollow stem longitudinally extending form the protrusion. A crack shaft and a longitudinal resilient member are respectively and sequentially disposed into the stem. A narrowed opening is defined in a distal end of the stem to prevent the resilient member and the crack shaft from detaching from the stem. The crack shaft includes a first end formed with a block and a second end extending through the narrowed opening. A puller is connected to the second end of the crack shaft for pulling the crack shaft and compressing the resilient member.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an egg cracker, and more particularly to an egg cracker that can easily shell the egg shell from a boiled egg or an uncooked egg due to an instantaneous momentum.
2. Description of Related Art
A conventional egg cracker in accordance with the prior art comprises seat and a cracking apparatus. The seat includes a curved trough defined to partially receive and stand the egg. A crack apparatus partially covers the egg. A threaded rod extends from a top of the crack apparatus for longitudinally connected to a spring. A shaft is mounted to a free end of the spring and received in the spring to abut against the threaded rod. A handle is connected to the shaft opposite to the crack apparatus such that the spring is stretched when pulling the handle. The shaft strikes the threaded rod to make the crack apparatus cracking the egg shell due to a restitution force of the spring when the handle is released.
However, the restituting spring may hurt the user's fingers because the spring is exposed. Further, the crack apparatus would not smoothly crack the egg shell when the threaded rod, the spring and the shaft does not linearly corresponding to one another when the spring is stretched.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the disadvantages of the conventional egg cracker.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main objective of the present invention is to provide an improved egg cracker that provides a protection to user's fingers during operating.
To achieve the objective, the egg cracker in accordance with the present invention comprises a cracking apparatus having a semi-egg-shaped and a sharpened inner annular hooked portion formed on an enlarged lower edge of the cracking apparatus. The annular hooked portion inward and slantwise extends to form an angle for cover a top portion of the egg. The cracking apparatus includes a protrusion extending therefrom along an operational direction thereof. A hollow stem longitudinally extends form the protrusion. A crack shaft and a longitudinal resilient member are respectively and sequentially disposed into the stem, wherein the resilient member sleeved on the crack shaft. A narrowed opening is defined in a distal end of the stem to prevent the resilient member and the crack shaft from detaching from the stem. The crack shaft includes a first end formed with a block and a second end extending through the narrowed opening. A puller is connected to the second end of the crack shaft. The puller includes a first cap longitudinally and centrally mounted to the second end of the crack shaft, and a second cap mounted to the first cap to define a chamber for receiving condiment. The second cap has a drain hole defined in a middle portion thereof. A cover is rotatably mounted to the second cap and abuts an outer periphery of the second cap. The cover includes an outlet defined therein and selectively communicating with the drain hole to allow the condiment being drained from the puller when the cover is rotated relative to the second cap.
Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an egg cracker in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the egg cracker in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the egg cracker in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a first operational view of the egg cracker of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a second operational view of the egg cracker of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a partially enlarged view of the hooked inner edge of the cracking apparatus of the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a partially cross-sectional view of the egg cracker of the present invention for showing the shelled egg shell.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1-3, an egg cracker in accordance with the present invention comprises a seat (4), a cracking apparatus (2) corresponding to the seat (4) and a puller (3) mounted to the cracking apparatus (2), wherein the seat (4) has a curved trough (4A) defined therein for partially receiving and standing an egg (5).
The cracking apparatus (2) has a semi-egg-shaped and an inner annular hooked portion (2A) formed on an enlarged lower edge of the cracking apparatus (2). The annular hooked portion (2A) inward and slantwise extends to form an angle (θ) with a supporting surface of the seat (4) and the edge of the annular hooked portion (2A) is sharpened. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the angle (θ) is arranged to be 15 degrees for covering a top portion of the egg (5), as shown in FIG. 3. The cracking apparatus includes a protrusion (21) extending therefrom along an operational direction of the egg cracker of the present invention. A hollow stem (22) longitudinally extends form the protrusion (21). A crack shaft (24) and a longitudinal resilient member (23) are respectively and sequentially disposed into the stem (22), wherein the resilient member (23) sleeved on the crack shaft (24). A narrowed opening (221) is defined in a distal end of the stem (22) to prevent the resilient member (23) and the crack shaft (24) from detaching from the stem (22). The crack shaft (24) includes a first end formed with a block (241) and a second end extending to longitudinally connect to the puller (3). The resilient member (23) has a diameter smaller than that of the block (241) and greater than that of the opening (221) such that pulling the puller (3) with the crack shaft (24) can compress the resilient member (23). As a result, the restitution force of the resilient member (23) drives the crack shaft (24) to make the block (241) striking the protrusion (21). The stem (22) provided a protection to the resilient member (23) and the crack shaft (24) when the resilient member (23) restituting.
The puller (3) includes a first cap (31) longitudinally and centrally mounted to the second end of the crack shaft (24), and a second cap (32) mounted to the first cap (31) to define a chamber for receiving condiment (6). The second cap (32) has a drain hole (321) and a hole (322) respectively defined in a middle portion and a top portion of the second cap (32). A cover (33) is rotatably mounted to the second cap (32) and abuts an outer periphery of the second cap (32). The cover (33) includes an outlet (331) defined therein and selectively communicating with the drain hole (321) to allow the condiment (6) being drained from the puller (3) when the cover (33) is rotated relative to the second cap (32). A stub (332) extends from an inner periphery of the cover (33) through the hole (322). A locking member (34) is secured to a free end of the stub (332) to prevent the cover (33) from detaching from the second cap (32) after the stub (332) extending through the hole (322) in the second cap (32).
With reference to FIGS. 3-4 and 6-7, when operating the egg cracker in accordance with the present invention, the egg (5) is partially received in the curved trough (4A), stands on the seat (4) and the annular hooked portion (2A) fully abuts an outer periphery of the egg (5). The puller (3) is pulled with the crack shaft (24) to make the block (241) separated from the protrusion (21) and compress the resilient member (23). The block (241) strikes the protrusion (21) with the cracking apparatus (2) for providing a vibration effect due to the restitution force of the resilient member (23) when the puller (3) is released. The sharpened hooked portion (2A) is inserted into the egg shell and detaches the egg shell within the cracking apparatus (2) due to the extending angle (θ) thereof in the striking moment, as shown in FIG. 7. The user's fingers are safe during operating because the resilient member (23) and the crack shaft (24) are received in the stem (22) during striking. The, remained egg shell is fully detached from the egg after removing the cracking apparatus (2).
With reference to FIG. 5, after the egg shell being fully detached, the user can rotated the cover (33) to make the outlet (331) communicating with the drain hole (321) such that the user can easily spill the condiment on the naked egg. The communication between the outlet (331) and the drain hole (321) is adjusted by rotating the cover (33). As a result, the function of the egg cracker is promoted. The condiment is salt or spiced salt to make the boiled egg more delicious.
Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Claims

1. An egg cracker comprising:

a seat having a curved trough defined therein for partially receiving and standing an egg;

a cracking apparatus corresponding to the seat, the cracking apparatus having a semi-egg-shaped and a sharpened inner annular hooked portion formed on an enlarged lower edge of the cracking apparatus, the cracking apparatus including a protrusion extending therefrom along an operational direction thereof, a hollow stem longitudinally extending form the protrusion, a crack shaft and a longitudinal resilient member respectively and sequentially disposed into the stem, wherein the resilient member sleeved on the crack shaft, a narrowed opening defined in a distal end of the stem to prevent the resilient member and the crack shaft from detaching from the stem, the crack shaft including a first end formed with a block for driving the resilient member and a second end extending through the narrowed opening; and

a puller connected to the second end of the crack shaft, the puller including a first cap longitudinally and centrally mounted to the second end of the crack shaft, and a second cap mounted to the first cap to define a chamber for receiving condiment, the second cap having a drain hole defined in a middle portion thereof, a cover rotatably mounted to the second cap and abutting an outer periphery of the second cap, the cover including an outlet defined therein and selectively communicating with the drain hole to allow the condiment being drained from the puller when the cover is rotated relative to the second cap.

2. The egg cracker as claimed in claim 1, wherein the condiment is salt.

3. The egg cracker as claimed in claim 1, wherein the condiment is spiced salt.

4. An egg cracker comprising:

a cracking apparatus having a semi-egg-shaped and a sharpened inner annular hooked portion formed on an enlarged lower edge of the cracking apparatus, the annular hooked portion inward and slantwise extending to form an angle for cover a top portion of the egg, the cracking apparatus including a protrusion extending therefrom along an operational direction thereof, a hollow stem longitudinally extending form the protrusion, a crack shaft and a longitudinal resilient member respectively and sequentially disposed into the stem, wherein the resilient member sleeved on the crack shaft, a narrowed opening defined in a distal end of the stem to prevent the resilient member and the crack shaft from detaching from the stem, the crack shaft including a first end formed with a block for driving the resilient member and a second end extending through the narrowed opening; and

5. The egg cracker as claimed in claim 4, wherein the angle is arranged to be 15 degrees.

6. The egg cracker as claimed in claim 1, wherein the condiment is salt.

7. The egg cracker as claimed in claim 1, wherein the condiment is spiced salt.