WO2016193768A1

WO2016193768A1 - Cutter-equipped lid for food products featuring a substantial cylindrical shape

Info

Publication number: WO2016193768A1
Application number: PCT/HR2016/000004
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ljubomir LOKIN
Original assignee: Kolos Inženjering Ltd
Priority date: 2015-06-01
Filing date: 2016-01-27
Publication date: 2016-12-08

Abstract

The lid (1) equipped with the cutter for food products that feature a substantially cylindrical shape is produced as a single part which comprises the hollow cylinder defined by the cover (10) and the single base (12), the part (14) of the cylinder base (12) has the ability to be inclined around the axis b', which represents a change in the functioning of the invention from that of a lid to that of a cutter. The integral section of the part (14) is the protrusion (16) along with the depression (18) serving as a lever used to instigate the mentioned conversion, in other words, facilitates the conversion from a cutter to a lid (1) for the preservation of the mentioned fresh products. The cylinder base (12) has a depression (20) the position of which conforms to the protrusion on the part (14), and serves to facilitate conversion of the invention from the function of a lid to that of a cutter. According to another version of operation, the respective invention comprises two parts of which the first part has the function of cutting, and the second part has the function of a lid for the purpose of preserving food products where the part that functions for cutting is manufactured as a single homogeneous part comprising the cylindrical cover (10) and the base (12), the part that functions for preserving the food product is the rotating lid (24) featuring a circular shape in the shape of the radius like the base (12), it is a flat shape and sits on the external side of the base (12). The material from respective the invention is produced belongs to the category of all types of plastics, metals and ceramics, or a combination thereof, and which comply with the current standards of use for materials for food products.

Description

CUTTER-EQUIPPED LID FOR FOOD PRODUCTS FEATURING A SUBSTANTIAL CYLINDRICAL SHAPE

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Field of the invention

Present invention relates to a cutter-equipped lid for food products featuring a substantial cylindrical shape which has a two-fold function - cutting and hermetically preserving food products of the latter shape. It has been classified according to the International Patent Classification (IPC) as: B26B and B26D 1/00.

The fundamental technical issues in using the food product featuring a substantially cylindrical shape are dosing (cutting) and preservation of such fresh products for multiple use. The actual dosing (cutting) poses an additional problem, and refers to the safety of the actual process in preparing foods with the stated characteristics for consumption. Specifically, it is well known that children, and persons with impaired sight or the blind, due to safety reasons, cannot use existing (conventional) tools and devices for dosing or cutting of such food products. Given that users of cylindrically-shaped food products for quality consumption essentially place an emphasis on the uniformity of the thickness dimensions of dosed (cut) consumable units (slices), evidently the use of hand tools that are fully controlled by users, e.g. the knife, in practice becomes almost impossible to obtain the same thickness of the consumable product units.

Prior art

Given that it involves a category of food products used for centuries, logically there has been a relatively large number of attempts to solve the above said problems. The oldest and also the basic tool for dosing or cutting food products featuring a substantial cylindrical shape is the knife (sharpened piece of metal equipped with a handle) that cuts the respective products by applying pressure on the vertical blade placed at the desired thickness of cylindrical-shaped consumable food units. It features a simple design and applied polyvalence. However, the main problem is safety of usage and practically the inability of achieving uniform dosing (cutting) of products.

The technological advancement of mankind in terms of this patent application has resulted in inventing an electrical machine for cutting substantially cylindrical-shaped food products operating on the principle of a rotating metal disk where the edge functions as a blade. While the machine features great precision of the cuttings and relatively large amounts of material can be cut within a given time, their main disadvantages are that they are expensive, prone to breaking down and evidently unsafe for use. In general, it should be noted that there are also other versions of the tools, e.g. a combination of cutting guide and metal blades, where the purpose of the design is to facilitate dosing or cutting and consumption of the mentioned food products.

On the other hand, the preservation of already used food products featuring a substantially cylindrical shape has in the past been an exceedingly trivial problem for someone to seriously address the issue. Hence the mentioned food products are still today kept either in separate boxes equipped with a hermetical lid or simply by placing some sort of folio (aluminium or cellophane) over an open, consumable part of the product. Only recently has there appeared a relatively trivial solution to the lid in the form of a hollow plastic cylinder closed on one side with dimensions that conform exactly to one such type.

The field of patent documents reflecting the state of the art is noted in documents US 5,771 ,771 (A) [Visionary Design, Inc.] published on 30 June 1998 and document NL 1010596 (C1) [EMPELEN PETRUS VAN] published on 22 May 2000 Document US 5,771 ,771 (A) showing the device cutting sausage products that feature an elongated, generally cylindrical housing and primarily a circular component for cutting. The housing defines the chamber for cutting with dimensions appropriate for receiving sausage products, while the adjacent side includes a number of elongated, generally parallel axial slots which pass through it. The slots are mainly at equal distances from each other around the periphery of the adjacent side. The cutting component has an axial extension and rounded internal adjacent surface with diameters at least a little larger than the external part of the housing of the adjacent side. The cutting element extends around and is coaxial to the housing in addition to including numerous radial and internally directed blades, where the blades are at intervals to one another around the periphery of the cutting component. Accordingly, the axial movement of the cutting component with respect to the housing results in a number of parallel axial cuts of sausage products positioned in the cutting chamber. Document NL 1010596 C1 shows the hand tool featuring a metal cylinder with an internal blade 3. When the sausage is inserted through canal 2, the blade or knife cuts an elongated slot into the sausage.

Both documents refer to hand devices or assemblies used for cutting or creating a slot along the sausage or foodstuffs that feature a substantially cylindrical shape. The difference between the two stated documents with respect to the state of technology and respective invention refers to the fact that with the aid of the technical solution for the respective invention, foodstuffs featuring substantially cylindrical shapes can be cut into slices of essentially the same thickness, meaning evenly cut, or a spirally cut product can be obtained, and the fact that the respective invention, besides the cutting function, also serves to hermetically preserve foodstuffs that are essentially cylindrical^ shaped.

Detailed description of the invention

The first object of the invention is to unify the functions of dosing or cutting and hermetical sealing (preserving for multiple use) of foodstuffs that feature a substantial cylindrical shape.

The second object of the invention is essentially to facilitate evenly dosing and cutting the mentioned products and preserving them for multiple consumption.

The third object of the invention is to essentially increase the level of safety when dosing or cutting foodstuffs that are substantially cylindrically shaped.

Further object of the invention is that, at least in one its design versions, it be affordable to the widest spectrum of consumers of foodstuffs that feature a substantially cylindrical shape, and that its possible versions cover the entire spectrum of the mentioned products which otherwise vary in hardness and level of homogeneity of substances from which they are made, and depending on the diameter parameters of the cylinder shape that characterise a certain type of product.

The hand operating lid featuring the element used for cutting substantially cylindrical-shaped foodstuffs includes the dosing or cutting tool, and at the same time functions to preserve the freshness of such products, while unifying (cutting tool + food preservation lid) into one and the same easily handled and safe functional unit. The shape of the invention conforms to the product for which it is intended, hence the conclusion is that its internal diameter must coincide with the respective diameter of the product, i.e. internal diameter of the lid covers the product in such as way so to enable rotation of the lid with respect to the food item; where the invention has the shape of a hollow cylinder. The invention is, besides the cover, also closed by one of its bases within which the moveable part is located, and which carries out the above mentioned conversion, from lid to cutter, achieving the role therefore of a cutter.

The moveable or slanting section (14) is a right-angle cutting from the circular base of the cylinder where the longer side b coincides with the radius of the cylinder base, whereas around the other side b' the right-angle cutting rotates or revolves (Figure 1a). It becomes evident that the moveable part has right-angle or circular cross-section, and in that way we get a straight side a, whereas the other side is in the shape of an arch a' that follows the edge of the cylinder, and the sides a, a', b and b' have a mutually different length, i.e. the side that lies on the radius of the cylinder base (circle) is always longer.

r = b > b'

CL≠ a'

Rotation or inclination takes places around a continual line b' in the direction of the cylinder height (x, z level surface, towards the bottom picture 1 b), where an angle of 0° the invention becomes a lid, whereas at any other angle it becomes a cutter. Therefore, the rotating or slanting section is essentially a knife with the blade located on the side that coincides with the radius of the cylinder base. Worth mentioning is that the rotation can take place only towards the inside, therefore, towards the actual foodstuff onto which the hand operated lid equipped with the cutter is placed, whereas a rotation of 0° in the opposite direction upwards not possible.

The functioning of the lid is more than obvious; it can be placed into operation at the moment when the protective folio is removed from the food product featuring a substantially cylindrical shape. Subsequently, the internal side of the cylinder (cover and base) come into contact with the food product sealing it hermetically.

Conversion into a cutting function is carried out in such a way that using the lever (an integral part of the rotating and moveable part; protrusion on the external side of the cylinder base) and using the appropriate depression in the actual base, we can change the angle a under which the moveable part or knife is set. If we use our hand to take the food product featuring a substantially cylindrical shape onto which we previously placed the invention, and subsequently changed its function from a lid to a cutter, and using the other hand hold the invention firmly, by rotating the food product in a clockwise direction (under the condition that the invention in the other hand does not rotate with the product) we get on the upper side of the cylinder a snip/slice with dimensions of the cylinder base diameter, and a thickness directly dependent on the angle of the set knife or moveable part, featuring a spiral shape. If we cut the food product upwards along the product (or upwards along the invention's cylinder) and at a depth equal at least to the radius of the product (or the base of invention's cylinder), traversing an entire circle (2π rad = 360°) as a result of the action we obtain a precisely cut individual slice of the product to which the cutting function of the respective invention is applied. It is evident that longitudinal slicing of the food product for which the invention is used means we have the ability to consume the resulting product while adhering to a very high level of hygienic safety. Specifically, when carrying out the above described cutting of the food product featuring the above stated characteristics, for instance, bread, consumption of the product is automatically possible without touching with fingers or any other item such as a fork, toothpick or the like.

It is important to note that altering the function of the invention also completely changes the actual function of the cylinder cover: whereas for the case of the lid function, the lid plays the role of the side that encompasses along the exposed/closed section of a typical food product and in that way guarantees hermetical preservation for multiple consumption, during the period in which the invention is used as a cutter, the cylinder cover has the role of ensuring rotation and cutting of the food product along the appropriate axis.

Another way of operating the device is that the right-angle cutting that functions like a knife is placed fixed under the already defined angle. The cylinder base additionally contains a protective component that covers the cylinder base and has the function of protecting and preserving the food product. The stated component has a circular shape with the dimensions of the cylinder base area, it is affixed so that it cannot separate from the external base of the cylinder by rotating around the vertical axis. The cylinder base on the external side contains a slot/chamfer in the shape of an arch and with a diameter that is less than the diameter of the cylinder base and is appropriately closer to the external radius of the cylinder base. In the desired manner of operating the invention, the slot/chamfer forms an arch of 90°. On the bottom side of the protective component, there is a protrusion so that when the lid equipped with the cutter in the folded position, it enters the mentioned slot/chamfer. This enables rotation of the protective component around the longitudinal axis of the lid by 90°. Furthermore, the mentioned slot/chamfer is positioned so that when it rotates around its axis which coincides with the longitudinal axis of the entire lid it closes or opens the right-angle cutting thereby achieving on the side the function of cutting and preserving a fresh food product or cutting it. Though the arch of the slot/chamfer is defined at 90°, the angle of the arch can be greater, such that it covers or uncovers the right-angle cutting. Detailed description of the invention

Brief description of the drawings

Further on the invention will be described in detail by referring to the following drawings:

- Figure 1.a shows the geometry of the lid base in the y-x plane,

- Figure 1.b show the geometry of the lid base in the z-x plane,

- Figure 1 provides a spatial presentation of the invention functioning as a lid,

- Figure 2 provides a spatial presentation of the invention functioning as a cutter,

- Figure 3 shows the cross-section of the invention vertically in space based on one particular way the invention is operated in the cutting position,

- Figure 4 shows the cross-section of the invention vertically according to a particular way the invention operated functioning as a lid,

- Figure 5 shows the cross-section of the invention vertically that passes the centres of the protrusions and depressions on part 14 and the base; functioning as a cutter,

- Figure 6 shows the layout of the respective invention,

- Figure 7 shows the layout according to another way of operating the respective invention,

- Figure 8 shows the cross-section AA' and BB' in Figure 7 in the open position, i.e. when the respective invention functions as a cutter,

- Figure 9 shows the cross-section AA' and BB' in Figure 7 in the closed position, i.e. when the respective invention functions as a lid,

- Figure 10 shows the cross-section and angle a,

- Figure 11 shows in space the invention according to another manner of operating it,

- Figure 12 shows the components of the invention in space according to another manner of operating the invention,

- Figure 13 shows the cross-section AA' and BB' in Figure 7 in the open position, i.e. when the respective invention functions as a cutter, and

- Figure 14 shows the cross-section AA' in Figure 7 in the closed position, i.e. when the respective

invention functions as a cutter.

The respective invention relates to a lid equipped with a cutter for food products featuring a substantially cylindrical shape and has a two-fold function - cutting and hermetical preservation. One particular manner of its operation is that the respective invention is produced as a single part where can be used to cut slices from substantially cylindrical-shaped products of various thicknesses. Based on the other manner of producing the respective invention, it comprises two parts of which the first functions as a cutter, whereas the other functions as a lid intended for preserving fresh food products. The respective invention is intended for preserving and proper dosing or cutting of food products that have a substantially cylinder shape. This category of product incorporates semi-perishable and non-perishable cylinder- shaped meat products (sausages, salamis, and the like), cylinder-shaped cheeses, and possibly combinations of such (salamis with pieces of cheese, and the like). The diameter of the cylinder which at a particular exactness incorporates the food product for which this principle of preservation and cutting is applicable, desirably exists in the range of 25mm to 90mm.

The materials from which the lid/cutter is made may in the first approximation be any type of plastic, metal or ceramics, including combinations thereof, and which meet current global and European standards with regard to materials that come into contact with food. For use with semi-perishable meat products and (softer) cheeses the lid/cutter may be made from a relatively large number of subtypes of plastics, metals and ceramics, including combinations thereof. For non-perishable sausages, which generally are harder than semi-perishable ones, the cutting section (knife) must be made from metal or ceramics or combinations thereof, whereas for the remaining system, the lid/cutter may be made from all of the mentioned materials or a combination thereof.

The table given below shows the subtypes of plastics (polymers) from which the lid/cutter may be made, and which is mostly used in production of the items that come into contact with food and drink. The last symbol in the table under number 6 is applied to all other types of polymers that do not possess a unique classification.

The cutter-equipped lid (1) intended for food products and featuring a substantially cylindrical shape incorporates a hollow cylinder defined by the cover (10) and a single base (12), where said cylinder base (12) contains the part (14) which in the open position and together with the base (12) functions as a lid for preserving the freshness of said food products, and in the open position has the function of cutting, whereby the cutter-equipped lid (1 ) in case of production from a single material is produced as a single homogeneous part or is produced in two parts, where the use of a combination of various materials is carried out from a number of mutually interconnected parts. The closed position is defined as the position of the part (14) at angle a of 0° with respect to the surface representing the base (12), whereas the open position is defined by the position of the part (14) at a particular angle a with respect to the surface representing the base (12) (Figure 1b).

Referring to Figure 1 , and taking into account that it involves an invention intended for preserving and cutting food products featuring a substantially cylindrical shape, it becomes evident that the invention can be produced in the form of a hollow cylinder. This same cylinder comprises the base (12) and the cover (10). The cover (10) has an arbitrary height suitable for handling and functions to cut in the proposed manner, i.e. one hand holds and rotates the typical food product, while the other hand holds fixed the lid/cutter and in that way the user obtains the slice at the desired thickness. The base (12) is produced using a single part with the cover (10). The cover (10) can be of an arbitrary thickness, and its outer side can be of an arbitrary shape, i.e. pentagon, hexagon, heptagon, octagon or irregular shape which has the ergonomic function of holding the cutter/lid, up until the respective shape does not deteriorate the cylindrical shape of the internal side. The base (12) of the cylinder is also of an arbitrary thickness and always retains a circular shape or shape of the internal side of the cover (10). The most cost-effective material used to produce the cover (10) and base (12) is a plastic certified for use with foodstuffs (high density polyethylene - PE-HD), however it is possible to produce this assembly of components from metals and ceramics that meet the sought certification standards for foodstuffs.

In viewing Figure 2 and comparing with Figure 1 , we can conclude that the base (12) contains the moveable part (14) which is a cutting essentially of a right-angle shape and which can be inclined by an angle of a - the moveable part (14) of the cylinder base (12). This moveable part has a variable role - functioning as a lid the final invention serves as a lid (14) (Figure 4), whereas the knife (14) allows the invention to function as a cutter (Figure 5). Geometrically, the moveable part (14) of the cylinder base (12) is a cutting achieved by the right-angle cross-section of the larger side placed on the radius of the internal side of the cover (10) belonging to the cylinder and the circle that incorporates the base (12). The length of the smaller side a is arbitrary and is variable, and is determined by the angle under which the produced blade (Figure 1 b and 3) is suitable for cutting food products. The results of this cross-section is the shape shown in Figure 6. On the provided figures, it is evident that the moveable base (14) of the cylinder has a particular protrusion (16), and depression (18, 20). The protrusion (16) serves as a lever for converting the invention from a lid to a cutter. The depression (20) serves to facilitate converting the final invention from a lid to a cutter, whereas the depression (18) on the protrusion (16) serves to successfully convert the final invention from a cutter to a lid. The cross-section of the protrusion (16) and depression (18, 20) are shown in Figures 4 and 5. The moveable part (14) throughout most of its cross-section has a triangular shape (Figure 3), where the sharpest tip of the profile serves as a knife blade. Figure 10 also shows the perpendicular cross-section of the moveable part (14). The top of the moveable part (14) comprises the knife blade (34) which is used to cut food products whereas the opposite side of the surface, which while as part 14 functions as a knife, is inclined at an angle of at least a. The mentioned inclination enables the sitting of the mentioned surface of the moveable part (14) on the adjacent side of the base (12) when the part (14) functions as a cutter. A version is also possible where the mentioned opposite side of the part (14) is at an angle of 0° in which case the side of the base (12) onto which rests the surface of the moveable part (14) is inclined at an angle of at least a. The moveable part (14), as well as the homogeneous assembly of the cover (10) and the base (12) may be made from plastic, metal and/or ceramics that possess the appropriate properties stipulated by national and international standards for foodstuffs. However, given that the moveable part (14) functions as a knife, the material from which it is made additionally depends on the hardness and degree of homogeneity of the foodstuff that features a substantially cylindrical shape and for which the invention is intended. Hence, the production of the invention for softer products may incorporate the knife (14) made from plastics possessing the appropriate hardness, whereas for harder products, the knife is made from metals and/or ceramics, which leads to the further conclusion that the moveable part (14) may be made of at least two types of materials (e.g. combination of plastics, metal and/or ceramics).

Based on the final invention, connecting the moveable part of the base (14) with the remaining assembly (10), the part (12) is constructed along the axis of rotation b' of the moveable part (14) (Figure 1b), which is positioned opposite and parallel to the tip of the blade b (34) on the upper external side of the base (12). The final positions in the rotation of the knife (14) are arbitrarily many; the value of angle a depends on the thickness of the slice when utilising the cutting function. The rotation from a horizontally level position is possible only in the direction in which the knife blade (14) traverses towards the surface of the food product that features the typical shape onto which the final invention has been placed, up to the desired limit as subject to the desired thickness of a slice, and back to setting the functioning as a lid (0°). A rotation in the opposite direction (of 0° in the direction of the positive axis z) makes no sense and is limited by the extension of part of the base (12) using a stopper (12) as is shown in Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6. The example in the graphical presentations shows the angle of rotation of the knife (14) to be 16.5°, thereby utilising the cutting function of the final invention where slices at a thickness of -1 ,5 mm are obtained. Shown below is the mathematical formula for the relationship between the angle of inclination of the knife (14) and the thickness a slice of a food product featuring the mentioned properties. d = I · sin a— d_b

Where d is the thickness of a slice, / is the length of the upper side of the triangle (cross-section of the knife (14)); the hypotenuse of the right-angled triangle comprising the upper side of the knife (14) functioning as a cutter, a is the angle which the moveable part - knife (14) makes when passing from the lid function to the cutter function and vice-versa, and ofe is the thickness of the base wall of the cylinder (12) reduced by the thickness of the limited upwards rotation to position 0°. The thickness d of the slices depends on the angle of inclination a of the moveable part (14). One of the ways the invention can operate is by varying the angle of inclination a of the moveable part (14) such that the part (14) can be fixed at the desired angle a. Fixing the part (14) is achieved by the protrusion on the adjacent side of the moveable part (14) which sits on the cover (10) which in turn contains a certain number of slots into which the respective protrusions enter on the adjacent side of the moveable part (14), thereby establishing various angles of inclination a and various thicknesses d of slices. The respective protrusions and slots serve to fix the moveable part (14) at the desired angle a.

In regards to the functioning of the lid on the invention, the lid, in the initial position of the moveable part (14), is sufficiently placed on the opened part of the food product that features a substantially cylindrical shape. In viewing Figures 1 and 2, including 4 and 5, it is evident that the conversion of the invention from lid to cutter and vice-versa is simply the result of rotating the moveable part (14) around the axis b'. Upon completing the cutting, the part (14) using the lever (16), and also by pressing in the opposite direction from the direction in which the invention is converted into a cutter, using the depression (18) on the protrusion, can be returned to its initial position, meaning converted back into the function of the lid. The depression (20) on the cylinder base has an ergonomic function and facilitates handling of the knife (14).

The other manner of operating the invention is shown in Figures 7, 11 and 14. That manner of operating the invention comprises two parts of which the first part has the function of cutting, and the other part functions as a lid for the purpose of preserving food products. The cutter, as in the previous manner of operating the invention, as a rule is produced as a single homogeneous part, specifically from a cylinder cover (10) and base (12). The base (12) is produced as a single part featuring a cover (10). The cover (10) can have an arbitrary thickness, and its external side can have an arbitrary shape, e.g. pentagon, hexagon, heptagon, octagon or an irregular shape that has an ergonomic function for holding the cutter/lid, up to the point that the shape does not negatively affect the cylindrical shape of the internal side. The base (12) of the cylinder is also of an arbitrary thickness and always retains the circular shape or shape of the internal side of the cover (10). As with the previous presented manner of operating the invention, the base (12) comprises the part (14) which is a cutting essentially of a rectangular shape and which in this manner of operation provides no possibility of varying the rotation or inclination, but is produced as a firm part of the base (12) under the given angle of a. In this manner of operating the invention, the part (14) only functions as a cutter for food products featuring a circular shape. Geometrically, the part (14) of the base (12) is a cutting obtained from the cross-section of the right-angle of the larger side placed in the radius of the internal side of the cover (10) belonging to the cylinder and circle that incorporate the base (12). The length of the smaller side is arbitrary or changeable, and is determined such that the angle under which the blade is produced (Figures 1 b, 11 to 14) becomes suitable for cutting food products. This manner of operating the invention of the lid function is taken up by the rotating lid (24). The rotating lid (24) has a circular shape with a radius that of the base (12) which is flat and sits from the external side of the base (12). The rotating lid (24) has a cutting surface (36) which dimensions conforming to the size of the right-angle cutting (14). Just as with the right-angle cutting comprising the part (14), the cut surface (36) has the same shape that follows the arch of the base (12). Using the component (26) in the form of a hook, the rotating lid (24) is retained at the external side of the base (12) so that it can rotate around its longitudinal/vertical axis (axis z in Figure 1 b), which passes through the centre of the entire assembly. The number of components (24) shown in the Figure is 4, however it can be less, e.g. 3 or 2. In order to limit the rotating of the lid (24), on the lower side of the lid (24) is a protrusion (30) that enters into an appropriately shaped slot (32) cut into the external side of the base (12). The slot (32) has the shape of a circle featuring a smaller diameter that the diameter of the base (12). According to the drawings, the slot (32) consists of an arch at 90° and is positioned so as to enable the covering of the cutting (14) using the rotating lid (24) when the invention's function is to preserve fresh food products, or the uncovering of the cutting (14) when the invention's function is to cut. The arch of the slot (32) may exceed 90° and be less than 180°. On the upper side of the external surface of the lid (24), there is a protrusion (28) that functions as a handle which in turn facilitates the rotation of the lid (24).

The dimensions of the final invention, primarily the diameter of the base (12) of the cylinder, depends on the dimensions of the food product that features the substantially cylindrical shape, and on the diameter of its perpendicular cross-section (standards for trademarks and product types). Hence, the design of the final invention intended for preserving and dosing (cutting) of typical food products featuring a diameter of the perpendicular cross- section and having a length of 55mm, has this same diameter of the base (12) and the internal sides of the cover (10) amounting to 55 mm, whereas the external dimensions of the cylinder cover (10) (not height) depends on the material used in production, i.e. the side must be sufficiently thick/strong in order to avoid deformation when pressed by the hand in which the invention is held; the stronger the material used in production, the greater the possibility of having a thinner wall of the cover (10). The height of the cover (10) is adapted to optimal control (preventing rotation) when utilised for the cutting function. In the mentioned actual situation (diameter of the base (12) amounting to 55 mm), the height of the cover (10) of the cylinder is 40 mm.

The final invention can be produced in the above mentioned manner as an aid that is a cost-effective, reliable and durable way of solving the problem of preserving and dosing (cutting) food products featuring a substantially cylindrical shape. Depending on the type of material used to produce the final invention, so that for instance the invention produced from plastics essentially has a shorter lifetime than the version made from metal and/or ceramics, and which primarily owes to less durability of the connection of the part (14) and base (12), and a higher rate of blunting during the use of softer materials. It is important to further note that the application of the final invention conforms to a relatively high level of safe use by the end user. The version of the final invention fully manufactured from plastics (PE-HD) cannot harm the end user, therefore the conclusion is that this version of the invention is safe for use by children, those with impaired vision and blind persons.

List of reference signs:

10 - cylinder cover

12 - cylinder base

14 - moveable part of the cylinder base acting as a lid and/or knife; cutting of the cylinder base

16 -protrusion on the moveable part

18 - depression on the protrusion of the moveable part

20 - depression on the cylinder base

22 - stopper on the cylinder base

24 - rotating lid

26 - component for holding the lid (24) and base (12)

28 - protrusion that functions as a handle

30 - protrusion on the lower side of the surface (24)

32 - slot/chamfer

34 - knife blade

36 - surface

Claims

1. The lid equipped with the cutter (1) for food products featuring a substantially cylindrical shape includes the hollow cylinder which is defined by the cover (10) and the base (12), characterised by that the respective base (12) contains the part (14) which in the closed position together with the base (12) functions as the lid for preserving the mentioned fresh food products, whereas in the open position has the function of cutting, whereby the lid equipped with the cutter (1) is made of a single material as a homogeneous part, or is made from more parts, and the use of a combination of various materials is produced from a number of inter- assembled parts; wherein the part (14) is performed from a right-angle cutting of the base (12) where the length of the side (b) complies with the size of the radius of the base (12) and is positioned so that the side (b) passes symmetrically through the base (12), and where the cutting has a perpendicular cross-section and the shape of a spike-right-angle triangle, where the triangle that closes the smaller angle functions as the blade of the knife (34) for the purpose of cutting, and the length of the smaller side (a) is variable and is determined in the manner that the angle a at which the part (14) is set becomes suitable for cutting the mentioned product.

2. The lid equipped with the cutter (1) according to claim 1 , characterised by that the part (14) along with the side (b') is connected to the base (12) in such a way to enable rotation around it from the closed into the open position at an angle of a, where the angle a can have different values defined the thickness of the cut slices of the mentioned food product, where furthermore the rotating of the moveable part (14) outside of the external surface of the base (12) is prevented due to the extension of part of the base (12) that serves as a stopper (22).

3. The lid equipped with the cutter (1 ) according to the preceding claims, characterised by that on the external side of the cylinder base (12) there is a depression (20) located proximately to the side (b'), where the depression (20) has an ergonomic function and serves to alter the position of the part (14) from the closed to the open position, and vice-versa.

4. The lid equipped with the cutter (1) according to the preceding claims, is characterised by that the part (14) on its upper external surface contains a protrusion (16) that serves as a level which in turn is sued to make changes to the position of the moveable part (14) from the closed to the open position, where on the extension of the protrusion (16) there is a depression (18) that serves for facilitating changes to the position of the moveable part (14).

5. The lid equipped with the cutter (1) according to claim 1 , characterised by that it consists of two parts of which the first part functions for cutting, whereas the second part functions as a lid for the purpose of preserving food products where the part that functions for cutting is made from a single homogeneous part, specifically a cylindrical cover (10) and the base (12), the part that functions for preserving a food product comprises the rotating lid (24) featuring a circular shape and having a diameter to that of the base (12), is a flat shape and arranged on the external side of the base (12).

6. The lid equipped with the cutter (1) according to claims 2 and 5, characterised by that the part (14) is produced as a solid part of the base (12) at the given angle of a.

7. The lid equipped with the cutter (1 ) according to claim 5, characterised by that the rotating lid (24) has a cut surface (36) with dimensions conforming to the size of the part (14), where assisted by the component (26) in the shape of a hook, the rotating lid (24) is retained on the external side of the base (12) so that it rotates around its vertical axis which passes through the centre of the entire assembly, the components (26) of which are positioned on the periphery of the edge section of the cover (10).

8. The lid equipped with the cutter (1) according to claim 7, characterised by that on the bottom side of the lid (24) there is a protrusion (30) that enters into the appropriately shaped slot (32) which has been cut into the upper side of the base (12), and the slot (32) has the shape of a circle with a smaller diameter than the diameter of the base (12) and is positioned so that is enables covering of the part (14) using the rotating lid (24) serving to preserve the freshness of the food product, or uncovering the part (14) when the invention functions for cutting, where the arch of the slot (32) is produced in the range of 90° to 180°, and where additionally on the upper external surface of the lid (24) there is a protrusion (28) that functions as a handle which in turn is used to rotate the lid (24).

9. The lid equipped with the cutter (1 ) according to the preceding claims, characterised by that the internal diameter of the cylinder cover (10) is such that it covers the food product featuring a substantially cylindrical shape in the manner that it enables rotation of the lid equipped with the cutter (1) with respect to the mentioned food product.

10. The lid equipped with the cutter (1 ) according to the preceding claims, characterised by that t the cover (10) can be of an arbitrary thickness, and its external side can be an arbitrary shape, e.g. pentagon, hexagon, heptagon, octagon or irregular shape featuring an ergonomic function for holding the lid equipped with the cutter (1).

11. The lid equipped with the cutter (1) ) according to the preceding claims, characterised by that the material from which it is made belongs to the category of all types of plastics, metals and ceramics, or a combination thereof, and which comply with the current standards of use of materials for food products.

12. The lid equipped with the cutter (1) ) according to the preceding claims, characterised by that the function of cutting food products featuring a substantially cylindrical shape takes place such that the dominant hand holds the mentioned product, while the other hand holds the respective invention, and whereby rotating the mentioned product, towards the blade of the knife (34) of the part (14) while the lid equipped with the cutter is held firmly so that the upper external side of the base (12) provides a slice of the desired thickness in the shape of a single slice or spiral slice.