Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080223226 | Food processing system - Apparatuses, systems, and methods for processing system foodstuff are shown and described. Food processing systems can hold and prepare food for consumption. The disclosed embodiments provide a drive mechanism that utilizes a contoured surface between a ratchet wheel and a drive mechanism that rotates the ratchet wheel to move the ratchet wheel toward and in engagement with a drive wheel for initiating rotation of the drive wheel and to disengage the ratchet wheel from the drive wheel to allow the drive wheel to rotate freely. The drive wheel is configured to couple to a processing component of the processing system. | 09-18-2008 |
20080277419 | Fluid Dispenser - Apparatuses and methods for dispensing at least one fluid are shown and described. Embodiments are operable to produce a mixture formed of desired fluids. The mixture can then be poured for subsequent use. | 11-13-2008 |
20080277513 | Food processing system - Apparatuses, systems, and methods for processing system foodstuff are shown and described. Food processing systems can hold and prepare food for consumption. The disclosed embodiments can be quickly and conveniently used to dry, grind, mill, dispense, or otherwise process foodstuff. | 11-13-2008 |
20080301952 | HAND-HELD FOOD PROCESSOR AND BLADE ASSEMBLY - A blade assembly for use with a food processor includes a hub configured to be coupled to a drive shaft of the food processor, a first blade rotatably coupled to the hub and configured to rotate with respect to the hub at least up to a predetermined angle with respect to a second blade, which is fixedly coupled to the hub. The first blade is rotatable between a first position in which it is in phase with the second blade for receiving a blade guard protecting both blades, and a second position, in which the first blade is out of phase with the second blade for optimally processing a food item in the food processor, the blade assembly also including a biasing member for returning the first blade to the first position after use. | 12-11-2008 |
20080302895 | ROLLING FOOD PROCESSOR - A rolling food processor includes a body forming a chamber, a blade assembly, and a roller assembly. The blade assembly may include a hub and a plurality of blades mounted about the hub and positioned within the chamber, the blade assembly being rotatably coupled to the roller assembly. The roller assembly includes at least one rolling member such that when a user rolls or reciprocates the rolling member on a surface, the hub and the blades rotate to process a food item selectively positioned in the chamber. | 12-11-2008 |
20100012659 | COCKTAIL MIXER WITH ROTATABLE TOP - A rotatable top for use with a container for measuring, mixing, and dispending drinks. The rotatable top rotates around an axis and provides multiple positions for (i) measuring volumes of liquid and dumping that liquid into the container, (ii) inserting additional liquid, ice or other solids into the container, (iii) closing and sealing the top and container for mixing the drink, and (iv) dispensing the mixed drink with or without a strainer. | 01-21-2010 |
20100147163 | HAND-HELD FOOD PROCESSOR AND BLADE ASSEMBLY - A blade assembly for use with a food processor includes a hub configured to be coupled to a drive shaft of the food processor, a first blade rotatably coupled to the hub and configured to rotate with respect to the hub at least up to a predetermined angle with respect to a second blade, which is fixedly coupled to the hub. The first blade is rotatable between a first position in which it is in phase with the second blade for receiving a blade guard protecting both blades, and a second position, in which the first blade is out of phase with the second blade for optimally processing a food item in the food processor, the blade assembly also including a biasing member for returning the first blade to the first position after use. | 06-17-2010 |
20100236425 | HULLING DEVICE - A hulling device includes a cap, a pushing member, a spring between the cap and pushing member, and at least one nipper having two nipping members coupled to the pushing member and extending toward the cap. The nipping members are mutually shaped with the cap and slide contiguous respective contact regions of the cap to separate tips of the nipping members upon actuation of the pushing member. The separated tips can be inserted in a food item, such as a strawberry, and twisted and pulled to hull the food item. The user can release the pushing member when the tips are in the food item to improve gripping and severing the hull. The hulling device can also include a main body housing at least a portion of the pushing member, cap, spring, and first and second nippers, the main body being coupled to the cap, the pushing member, or both. | 09-23-2010 |
20100237107 | POURING DEVICE WITH DEFORMABLE SPOUT - A pouring device includes a container, a stiffening member with first and second stiffening portions having respective terminating ends spaced from each other. The first and second stiffening portions are coupled to the container with a deformable region of the container being positioned between the terminating ends of the first and second stiffening portions. The deformable region can be more resilient than the stiffening member to form a pour spout at least in part from the deformable region upon application of a force to the container toward opposing sides of the deformable region. | 09-23-2010 |
20110000351 | MULTIPLE SLICING DEVICE - A multiple slicing device includes a frame including a receptacle and a plurality of cutting elements, and a working portion including an activation mechanism, a cam mechanism, and a forcing member. The activation mechanism can include two handles where moving one of the handles toward the other handle collapses the forcing member via the cam mechanism, onto a food item placed in the receptacle between the forcing member and the cutting elements, to efficiently and simultaneously cut or slice the food item into multiple pieces. | 01-06-2011 |
20110155835 | HAND-HELD FOOD PROCESSOR AND BLADE ASSEMBLY - A blade assembly for use with a food processor includes a hub configured to be coupled to a drive shaft of the food processor, a first blade rotatably coupled to the hub and configured to rotate with respect to the hub at least up to a predetermined angle with respect to a second blade, which is fixedly coupled to the hub. The first blade is rotatable between a first position in which it is in phase with the second blade for receiving a blade guard protecting both blades, and a second position, in which the first blade is out of phase with the second blade for optimally processing a food item in the food processor, the blade assembly also including a biasing member for returning the first blade to the first position after use. | 06-30-2011 |
20110174818 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SEALING A BEVERAGE CONTAINER LID - An apparatus for sealing a cover of a beverage container comprises a body having an opening therethrough and a ball disposed in an elongated depression in the body, the ball being movable along the depression between first and second positions to expose at least a portion of the opening to allow fluid flow to and from the container when in the first position and sealingly occlude the opening to prevent spillage when in the second position. | 07-21-2011 |
20110191974 | UTENSIL WITH WAVY HEAD - A utensil includes an elongate handle and a head. The head has a non-planar configuration such that different regions of the head can be used to mix, fold, stir, spread, lift, or otherwise manipulate food. The head includes a wavy portion with a transverse profile that varies along a length of the head. | 08-11-2011 |
20110192034 | CUTTING AND SHARPENING DEVICE AND METHOD - A cutting and sharpening device includes a body, a blade element having a cutting edge and rotatably mounted with respect to the body, and a sharpening tool configured to be removably coupled to the body. The sharpening tool can be selectively moved between a first position in which the sharpening tool is spaced from the blade element and a second position in which the sharpening tool contacts the blade element adjacent the cutting edge. The device can be used as a rolling cutter or slicer, and as a sharpening device that sharpens the blade element when the sharpening tool is coupled to the body. The sharpening tool can sharpen the cutting edge when it is in the second position and the blade element is rotated or rolled, directly or indirectly, on a surface. | 08-11-2011 |
20110192036 | HANDHELD FOOD SLICER - A handheld food slicer including a first handle having a plurality of elongated fingers, each finger separated from an adjacent finger by a blade receiving slot, a second handle movably coupled to the first handle and a plurality of blade members spaced to align with the blade receiving slots to mate with the fingers to collectively define a food receiving passageway when the first and the second handles are in an expanded configuration in which a distal end of the first handle is at least partially spaced apart from a distal end of the second handle, the fingers of the first handle configured to pass through the food receiving passageway adjacent the blade members as the first and the second handles move from the expanded configuration towards a compressed configuration in which the distal end of each of the first and the second handles is relatively closer to the other. | 08-11-2011 |
20120061895 | FOOD PROCESSING SYSTEM - Apparatuses, systems, and methods for processing system foodstuff are shown and described. Food processing systems can hold and prepare food for consumption. The disclosed embodiments can be quickly and conveniently used to dry, grind, mill, dispense, or otherwise process foodstuff. | 03-15-2012 |
20120180612 | HAND-OPERATED RECIPROCATING SLICER - A hand operated slicer incorporates a housing, a base, and a reciprocating blade assembly. The housing has a top, opposing lateral sides, a food retaining chamber, and a passageway extending therethrough between the lateral sides and aligned with a cutting plane. The base is coupled to the housing and configured to prevent the housing from moving during typical operation. The reciprocating blade assembly is slidably engaged with the passageway on the housing, and carries a blade that moves through or adjacent the food retaining chamber as the assembly reciprocates, to slice a food item in the chamber. The blade assembly can be adjustable to change the thickness of the slice, and can be convertible to create French fries, make julienne cuts or the like. | 07-19-2012 |
20130044561 | LIQUID MIXER AND FROTHER - A device for mixing and frothing a liquid incorporates a container and a removable insert. The container has a bottom, a sidewall, and at least one opening. An upper portion of the insert projects outwards from the container. A lower portion of the insert has a shaft with a distal end located near the bottom of the container during operation. A motor is operable to rotate the shaft. A mixing blade is fixedly coupled with respect to the distal end of the shaft. A frothing assembly is movably coupled to the shaft, and incorporates a float and a frother. The float and frother remain near an upper surface of the liquid such that, regardless of the liquid level, the frother is position near the top surface to selectively froth the liquid therein. | 02-21-2013 |
20130082473 | COLLAPSIBLE SCOOP AND SCRAPER - A device for scraping a surface and scooping items from the surface incorporates a body, a handle, a blade and a scoop. The body has a proximal portion, a distal portion and a central portion that fixedly couples the proximal portion with respect to the distal portion. The handle is located at the proximal portion of the body, and is adapted to be held by a user and to facilitate single-handed manipulation of the device by the user. The blade is located at the distal portion of the body, and is oriented to project outward from the body. The scoop is coupled to the central portion of the body, the scoop having a sidewall adapted to be folded in at least one location such that the sidewall can be expanded to form a scoop having a hollow portion for receiving the items, and can be collapsed by folding the sidewall such that the scoop is roughly the same thickness as other portions of the body. | 04-04-2013 |
20130152405 | MULTIPLE SLICING DEVICE - A multiple slicing device includes a frame including a receptacle and a plurality of cutting elements, and a working portion including an activation mechanism, a cam mechanism, and a forcing member. The activation mechanism can include two handles where moving one of the handles toward the other handle collapses the forcing member via the cam mechanism, onto a food item placed in the receptacle between the forcing member and the cutting elements, to efficiently and simultaneously cut or slice the food item into multiple pieces. | 06-20-2013 |
20130202760 | AUTOMATED OATMEAL STEAMER - A device, system and method for cooking hot cereal are disclosed. Embodiments of the device and system incorporate a steam chamber adapted to hold a bowl of dry cereal and to retain steam in the presence of the bowl; a reservoir for holding water; a filling line and faucet coupled to the reservoir and configured to route water from the reservoir, out the faucet and into the bowl of dry cereal; and a steam generator coupled to the reservoir for generating steam and routing the steam into the steam chamber to cook the cereal. Embodiments of the method incorporate a timer and controls to automatically fill the cereal bowl and cook the cereal at a pre-selected time. | 08-08-2013 |
20140030408 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR PEELING GARLIC - A device for removing the husk from a clove of garlic incorporates female and male members. The female member has a body with a cylinder therein terminating in a resilient bottom with a compound surface relief. The male member has a handle and a rigid projection. The projection is sized and shaped to mate with the cylinder, to move longitudinally with respect to the cylinder, and to rotate about the longitudinal axis when positioned in the cylinder. The projection terminates in an end incorporating a resilient material having a compound surface relief. When a clove of garlic is placed in the device and the projection is inserted into the cylinder until the clove contacts the cylinder and the projection, rotation of the handle with respect to the female member removes the husk. | 01-30-2014 |
20140356501 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR BREWING A BEVERAGE - A brewing apparatus including a fluid reservoir having a first end and a second end. The brewing apparatus can include a lid portion configured to removably engage the first end of the fluid reservoir and a cartridge holder configured to removably engage the second end of the fluid reservoir. A spring-loaded plunger can slidably connect to the lid portion. | 12-04-2014 |
20150013554 | STORING AND DISPENSING DEVICES AND METHODS - Devices and methods for storing and dispensing herbs can incorporate a container, a cap and an insert. The container has an opening extending from a proximal to an opposing distal end. An interior wall of the container is threaded at least a portion of its longitudinal length. The cap is releasably coupleable with the distal end. The insert, which is engaged with the proximal end, has a handle at one end and a head at an opposing end. The head of the insert is threadedly coupled to the interior wall of the container such that rotation of the handle results in movement longitudinally along the container. As a result, rotation of the handle when the head and the cap are coupled to the container results in compression of herbs or the like; and further rotation of the handle when the cap is removed results in the herb being forced out of the container. | 01-15-2015 |