WO1996019137A1

WO1996019137A1 - A utensil for removing goods from a can

Info

Publication number: WO1996019137A1
Application number: PCT/NZ1995/000138
Authority: WO
Inventors: Peter Ronald Courtney
Original assignee: Peter Ronald Courtney
Priority date: 1994-12-21
Filing date: 1995-12-21
Publication date: 1996-06-27
Also published as: AU4319096A

Abstract

This invention provides a rotatable blade (3, 4) positioned within a guide (2). The guide (2) may nest within the inner circumference of a can containing, in particular, items such as pet food. Rotation of the blade (3, 4) draws the pet food from the can. A lid (9) may also be provided to close the tin with the blade (3, 4) and guide (2) retained within the tin for further use.

Description

AUNTENSILFORREMOVINGGOODSFROMACAN

BACKGROUND

This invention relates to a utensil and, in particular, although not necessarily solely, a utensil for removing the contents of canned goods from the can.

Although a variety of different utensils for domestic kitchen use exist, none seem particularly suited to the removal of the contents of canned goods from the can. This is particularly the case in such canned goods as pet food.

The usual method for removing pet food from the can comprises the use of a knife, fork or spoon to break up the pet food and remove the desired quantity. However, none are particularly adept at the operation and tend to leave pet food stuck to the side of the cans and often prove quite awkward in use when trying to remove particularly the last contents from the can at the base of the can.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a utensil for the removal of canned goods from the can which will overcome some of the disadvantages of the prior art or at least provide the public with a useful choice.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, in a first aspect, the invention may broadly be said to consist in a utensil for the removal of canned goods from the can comprising: guide means having a circumference to nest within the inner circumference of a can;

a blade extending across at least a substantial portion of the radius of the circumference about said guide means; and

a handle spaced from said blade and guide means such that movement of said handle causes rotation of said blade about an axis substantially through the centre of said guide means.

Further aspects of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The description will now be provided with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure la shows a plan view of one embodiment of the apparatus;

Figure lb shows a front elevation of the apparatus of Figure la;

Figure lc shows a side elevation of the apparatus of the previous Figures;

Figure Id shows an underneath view of the apparatus of the previous Figures; and

Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the apparatus of the previous Figures. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, the invention comprises the utensil 1 for the removal of canned goods such as, for example, pet food, from the can in which it is housed.

The utensil 1 has guide means 2 so that the utensil may be guided into and positioned within the inner circumference of the can. In this particular embodiment, the guide means 2 comprises a ring sized to nest closely within the inner walls of the can. Of course, any alternative guide means can be used including a number of spaced apart guides such as two, three or more short segments of the ring 2.

Within the guide means 2 is positioned at least one blade 3 extending across at least a portion of the radius of the circumference of the guide means 2. In this preferred form, two blades 3 and 4 are provided connected to an axial member 5.

As can be seen from the drawings, the blades 3 and 4 can be rotated through movement of a handle 6. Rotation of the at least one blade 3 serves to cut the blade 3 through the contents of the can in which it is used to remove the contents from the can.

With the preferred form of twin blades 3 and 4, each blade is provided with a cutting edge 7 and 8 respectively on opposed sides of the blades in accordance with their positioning on opposed sides of the central axis so that rotation of the blades will cause the cutting edges to cut in the same rotational direction about the axial member 5. It should also be noted that, in this preferred form, the blades 3 and 4 are angled from their cutting edge 7 and 8 towards their rear edge upwardly towards the handle portion 6. In this manner, as each blade cuts into the contents of the can, the contents are lifted up the blades 3 and 4 towards the open top of the can through which the utensil 1 is inserted.

The handle portion 6 is spaced well away from the blades 3 through the provision of the axial member 5 so that the blades 3 and 4 can be used through the entire depth of a can while the handle 6 may still protrude from the top of the can.

It will be appreciated that a single blade 3 would suffice for the rotational cutting of the can contents such as jellymeat or other pet food. Similarly, the axial member 5 could be replaced by parallel arms to the edge of the guide means 2 or otherwise positioned to carry the blades. Similarly, the guide means 2 could be pivotally mounted with respect to the blades so that the blades rotate freely within the guide means 2. In this preferred form, simplicity of construction has dictated the use of fixed blades to both the central axis 5 and to the guide means 2. Rotation of the guide means 2 is not perceived as being a disadvantage in the intended use for this particular utensil.

Further, although a direct connection between the handle and the central axis 5 allows rotation of the handle 6 to rotate the blades 3 and 4, other interconnections could be used. Conventional technology used in conjunction with cork screws and other such devices suggest a handle which may be depressed vertically or otherwise actuated can be linked to blades to cause rotation of those blades. In use, a can of pet food may be opened at one end and the utensil 1 placed at the top of the can. The guide means 2 can nest within the inner circumference of the can and the utensil rotated through rotation applied to the handle 6. The blades 3 and 4 will then cut through the pet food and lift the pet food up the sloping face of the blades 3 and 4 towards the top of the can.

When the utensil 1 has reached the depth sufficient to remove a desired amount of pet food, the container can be inverted and the pet food should easily slide out of the container having been cut free from the walls of the can and the remainder of the pet food retained within the can.

As shown in Figure 2, a lid 9 may be incorporated with utensil 1. This lid may be slidingly engaged to the central shaft 5 or otherwise affixed to allow sealing of the can with the blades 3 an 4 still inside the can. This allows the device to remain in the can until the can is fully used and be sealed by the lid 9 to reduce odours .

The lid 9 may be of any convenient form and may be permanently attached to the utensil 1 as shown in Figure 2 or may be releasably from the utensil 1. In this particular example, the lid 9 is provided with an aperture 10 so that it may slidingly engage the central shaft 5 substantially in the centre of the circular planar lid 9. A dependant flange 11 around the circumference of the lid 9 may be provided to seal or reside adjacent the external circumference of the can.

The utensil 1 can be made from any one of a variety of materials such as metals, plastics or other such materials. Stainless steel may be desirable for hygiene or a hardened plastic with sufficient strength to carry the rotational forces applied through the article.

Thus it can be seen that the device provides a utensil 1 which can remove the contents of a can without some of the difficulties associated with using ordinary utensils .

Utensil 1 may be of relatively cheap manufacture and is relatively easy to operate.

Where in the foregoing description, reference has been made to specific components or integers of the invention having known equivalents, then such equivalents are herein incorporated as if individually set forth.

Although this invention has been described by way of example and with reference to possible embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that modifications or improvements may be made thereto without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.

Claims

1. A utensil for the removal of canned goods from the can comprising:

guide means having at least portions of a circumference to nest within the inner circumference of a can;

2. A utensil as claimed in claim 1 wherein said guide means comprises a ring having an outer circumference to nest within the inner circumference of a can.

3. A utensil as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein at least two blades are provided extending from said central axis .

4. A utensil as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein an axial member is provided on said central axis to carry said blades .

5. A utensil as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said handle is provided at a distil end of said axial member from an end carrying said blades.

6. A utensil as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said blades extend back from a cutting edge of said blade and are angled from said cutting edge of said blade to the rear edge of said blade towards said handle.

7. A utensil substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.