NZ775957B2 - Vegetable knife having a pulverizing coring pin - Google Patents

Abstract

vegetable knife includes a pulverizing coring pin for pulverizing a core of a vegetable, where the pulverizing coring pin can be a generally cylindrical tube. The pulverizing coring pin can define one or more pulverizing tubes that extend from a first end of the pulverizing coring pin to a second end of the pulverizing coring pin opposite the first end. The vegetable knife also includes at least one vegetable shaping blade that extends radially outwardly from the pulverizing coring pin, where the at least one vegetable shaping blade supports the pulverizing coring pin at a location generally central with respect to the vegetable knife. The vegetable knife may also include an outer flange for coupling the vegetable knife to a rotatable cutting assembly. The vegetable shaping blade can be connected between the outer flange and the pulverizing coring pin for supporting the pulverizing coring pin. By pulverising the core of the vegetable, processes that follow for separating the core from the cut vegetable can be simplified and risk of damaging the cut vegetable during this process can be reduced.

Description

A vegetable knife includes a pulverizing coring pin for pulverizing a core of a vegetable, where the pulverizing coring pin can be a generally cylindrical tube. The pulverizing coring pin can define one or more pulverizing tubes that extend from a first end of the pulverizing coring pin to a second end of the pulverizing coring pin opposite the first end. The vegetable knife also includes at least one vegetable shaping blade that extends ly outwardly from the pulverizing coring pin, where the at least one vegetable shaping blade supports the pulverizing coring pin at a location generally central with t to the vegetable knife. The vegetable knife may also include an outer flange for coupling the ble knife to a rotatable g assembly. The vegetable shaping blade can be connected between the outer flange and the pulverizing coring pin for supporting the pulverizing coring pin. By pulverising the core of the vegetable, processes that follow for separating the core from the cut vegetable can be simplified and risk of damaging the cut vegetable during this process can be reduced.

NZ 775957 VEGETABLE KNIFE HAVING A PULVERIZING CORING PIN BACKGROUND An increasing number of food products are processed before arriving on a consumer's plate.

A variety of fruits and vegetables, for example, can be cut or shaped and then frozen or otherwise preserved for later use. To meet the demand for processed food products and efficiently produce large quantities of such products, the food industry utilizes various equipment for rapidly processing the same.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0001a] In a particular aspect, the present invention provides a vegetable knife comprising: an outer flange for ng the vegetable knife to a rotatable cutting assembly; a pulverizing coring pin for pulverizing a core of a vegetable; and at least one vegetable shaping blade extending radially outwardly from the pulverizing coring pin for shaping the vegetable, the at least one vegetable shaping blade connected between the outer flange and the pulverizing coring pin for supporting the pulverizing coring pin at a location generally central with respect to the outer flange and generally coaxial with a rotational axis of the rotatable cutting assembly. [0001b] In another ular aspect, the t invention es a vegetable knife comprising: a pulverizing coring pin for pulverizing a core of a ble, the pulverizing coring pin being a lly rical tube extending from a first side of the vegetable knife to a second side of the vegetable knife opposite the first side; a plurality of pulverizing tubes defined by the pulverizing coring pin, the ity of pulverizing tubes extending from a first end of the pulverizing coring pin to a second end of the pulverizing coring pin opposite the first end; and at least one vegetable shaping blade ing radially outwardly from the pulverizing coring pin for shaping the vegetable, the at least one vegetable g blade for supporting the pulverizing coring pin at a location generally central with respect to the vegetable knife. [0001c] In a further particular aspect, the present invention provides a vegetable knife comprising: a izing coring pin for pulverizing a core of a vegetable; a plurality of pulverizing tubes defined by the pulverizing coring pin, the plurality of pulverizing tubes extending from a first end [FOLLOWED BY PAGE 1a] of the pulverizing coring pin to a second end of the pulverizing coring pin opposite the first end; and at least one ble shaping blade extending radially outwardly from the izing coring pin for shaping the vegetable, the at least one vegetable shaping blade for supporting the pulverizing coring pin at a location generally central with respect to the vegetable knife.

DRAWINGS The Detailed ption is described with reference to the accompanying figures. is an ric view illustrating a cut vegetable product and a plug core removed from the cut vegetable product. is an isometric view illustrating a cut vegetable product and a pulverized core removed from the cut vegetable product in ance with example embodiments of the present disclosure. is a partial cross-sectional isometric view illustrating manufacturing ent with a rotatable cutting assembly that includes a vegetable knife for producing a cut vegetable product with a pulverized core, such as the cut vegetable product with the pulverized core illustrated in in accordance with example embodiments of the t disclosure. is an ric view illustrating a vegetable knife for producing a cut vegetable product with a pulverized core in accordance with an example embodiment of the present disclosure. is another isometric view of the vegetable knife illustrated in is a top plan view of the ble knife illustrated in is a cross-sectional elevation view of the vegetable knife illustrated in taken on the line 7-7 in is another cross-sectional elevation view of the vegetable knife illustrated in taken on the line 8-8 in [FOLLOWED BY PAGE 2] is an isometric view illustrating another vegetable knife for producing a cut vegetable product with a pulverized core in accordance with an example ment of the present sure. is an isometric view illustrating a further vegetable knife for producing a cut vegetable product with a pulverized core in accordance with an example embodiment of the present disclosure. is an isometric view illustrating a vegetable knife for producing a cut ble product with a pulverized core in accordance with an example embodiment of the present disclosure. is an isometric view illustrating another vegetable knife for producing a cut ble product with a pulverized core in accordance with an example embodiment of the t disclosure. is an isometric view rating a further ble knife for producing a cut vegetable product with a pulverized core in accordance with an example embodiment of the present disclosure. is an isometric view illustrating a vegetable knife for producing a cut vegetable product with a pulverized core in accordance with an example embodiment of the present disclosure. is an isometric view illustrating r ble knife for producing a cut vegetable product with a pulverized core in accordance with an example embodiment of the present sure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Aspects of the disclosure are described more fully hereinafter with reference to the anying drawings, which form a part hereof, and which show, by way of illustration, example features. The features can, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the combinations set forth herein; rather, these combinations are provided so that this disclosure will be gh and complete, and will fully convey the scope.

Among other things, the features of the disclosure can be embodied as processes, processes for making food products, equipment, and food products. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense.

A vegetable knife can cut vegetables (e.g., potatoes, sweet potatoes) into s shapes for further processing, for packaging, and/or for consumption. For example, with reference to a vegetable knife can be used in a vegetable processing plant to process a vegetable and e a generally helical, cut vegetable product 50. In the process of cutting the ble product 50 from the vegetable, waste t in the form of a plug core 52 is also generated. After the vegetable product 50 has been cut, the plug core 52 remains generally within the vegetable product 50. Then, the plug core 52 is disentangled from the vegetable product 50 and discarded or further processed. Disentanglement of the plug core 52 to form the arrangement shown in results in lost processing efficiencies in the plant. For instance, anglement without damaging the vegetable product 50, which is generally in a raw or partially processed and fragile state, is typically very difficult. This difficulty may be compounded when le, interleaved vegetable products (e.g., in the form of multiple helically cut vegetable products) are produced from a single vegetable.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 through 15, vegetable knives 110 are described in accordance with e embodiments of the t disclosure. A ble knife 110 has a pulverizing coring pin 116 for pulverizing a core 104 of a vegetable 108 ( to produce one or more cut vegetable products 100. For e, the ble knife 110 can be used to produce a single helically cut vegetable product 100, multiple helically cut vegetable products 100, and so forth.

For example, as shown in a pulverized core 104 is produced by a vegetable knife 110 having a pulverizing coring pin 116. Thus, example vegetable knives 110 as described herein may not require disentanglement of core pieces, as the core pieces have been reduced in size and may be easily removed (e.g., flushed, rinsed) from the vegetable products 100.

Referring now to an example manufacturing system including a rotatable cutting assembly 106 for rotating a vegetable knife 110 to produce cut vegetable products 100 from vegetables 108 is shown. The ble cutting ly 106 rotates about a rotational axis 114 that is generally aligned with a processing path of the vegetables 108. It should be noted that the example manufacturing equipment shown and described with reference to is merely one environment for the vegetable knives 110 described herein. The components associated with the example manufacturing system of can be combined in different ways to produce cuts using a rotatable cutting assembly 106.

Further, gh depicts a vegetable 108 in the form of a potato, the disclosure herein shall be understood to include all vegetables and shall not be limited to potatoes. A few examples of other bles include sweet potatoes, yams, beets, and carrots. In addition, the term "vegetable" shall be understood to includes fruits having a ?esh density suitable for cutting by a vegetable knife 110. For e, apples, pears, and pineapples are l fruits that may be cut and/or processed by a vegetable knife 110. In some ments, a vegetable 108 may be chilled, heated, and/or otherwise subjected to one or more pre-processing steps to provide an appropriate hardness, softness, and/or density for subsequent cutting by a vegetable knife 110.

Referring to FIGS. 4 through 15, the pulverizing coring pin 116 of the vegetable knife 110 can be a generally cylindrical tube. However, a cylindrical tube is provided by way of example and is not meant to limit the t disclosure. In other embodiments, the pulverizing coring pin 116 may be shaped differently (e.g., square-shaped, rectangular-shaped, nally-shaped, octagonally-shaped, and so forth). The vegetable knife 110 also includes at least one vegetable g blade 118 for shaping the vegetable 108, where the vegetable shaping blade 118 extends radially outwardly from the pulverizing coring pin 116. In ments, the vegetable shaping blade 118 supports the pulverizing coring pin 116 at a location generally central with respect to the vegetable knife 110.

The vegetable knife 110 may also include one or more outer ?anges 112 for coupling the vegetable knife 110 to a rotatable cutting assembly (e.g., the rotatable cutting assembly 106 described with reference to . In some embodiments, the vegetable shaping blade 118 is connected n an outer ?ange 112 and the pulverizing coring pin 116 for supporting the pulverizing coring pin 116 at a location generally central with t to the outer ?ange 112 and generally coaxial with the rotational axis 114 of the rotatable cutting assembly 106. In some embodiments, the outer ?ange 112 can define one or more apertures 120 for ng the vegetable knife 110 to the rotatable cutting ly 106. For example, fasteners such as screws, bolts, and so on may be used to mount the ble knife 110 to a rotatable cutting assembly 106.

With reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, the tube of the pulverizing coring pin 116 can extend from a first side 130 of the vegetable knife 110 to a second side 132 of the vegetable knife 110 opposite the first side 130 (e.g., having a depth 128). The pulverizing coring pin 116 may include a blade edge 122 ( that extends around a circumference 126 of the tube of the pulverizing coring pin 116 at the first side 130 of the vegetable knife 110. In this manner, the pulverizing coring pin 116 defines a cutting volume 134 at a first end 140 of the pulverizing coring pin 116. The pulverizing coring pin 116 can also define one or more pulverizing tubes 138 (e.g., pulverizing ubes) that extend from the first end 140 of the pulverizing coring pin 116 (e.g., proximate to the cutting volume 134) to a second end 142 of the pulverizing coring pin 116 opposite the first end 140. The pulverizing tubes 138 are configured to destroy (e.g., form into powder) or pulverize (e.g., form into smaller ) the core 104 of the ble 108.

In some embodiments, a pulverizing tube 138 has different diameters along its length. For example, as shown, a pulverizing tube 138 may have a first diameter 144 proximate to the first end 140 of the pulverizing coring pin 116 and a second diameter 146 proximate to the second end 142 of the pulverizing coring pin 116. The pulverizing tube 138 may have a sharp transition (e.g., right angles) between the section of the pulverizing tube 138 with the first er 144 and the section of the pulverizing tube 138 with the second diameter 146. It should be noted that a sharp transition between the first diameter 144 and the second diameter 146 is provided by way of example and is not meant to limit the present disclosure. In other embodiments, the transition between the first diameter 144 and the second diameter 146 may be angled, tapered, and so forth. Further, it should be noted that while three pulverizing tubes 138 are shown in the accompanying figures, more (e.g., four, five) or less (e.g., two, one) pulverizing tube 138 may be included with a pulverizing coring pin 116. Further, different tubes may have different diameters, ent numbers of tions between ers with the same tube, and so forth.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 9 through 15, a ble knife 110 may have different numbers of knife sections 124 comprising stepped blades that extend ly outwardly and downwardly from the pulverizing coring pin 116 to the outer flange 112. For example, a vegetable knife 110 may have two knife ns 124 (e.g., arranged about 180 degrees apart, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 12), three knife sections 124 (e.g., arranged about 120 degrees apart, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 13), four knife sections 124 (e.g., arranged about 90 degrees apart, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 14), six knife sections 124 (e.g., arranged about 60 degrees apart, as shown FIGS. 11 and 15), and so forth.

Each one of these different knife arrangements may produce different numbers of interleaved, generally l, cut vegetable products 100. For example, the vegetable knives 110 shown in FIGS. 4 and 12 may produce two interleaved, generally helical cut vegetable products 100, while the vegetable knives 110 shown in FIGS. 5 and 13 may produce three interleaved, generally helical cut ble products 100, the vegetable knives 110 shown in FIGS. 6 and 14 may e four interleaved, generally helical cut vegetable ts 100, and the ble knives 110 shown in FIGS. 7 and 15 may produce six interleaved, generally helical cut vegetable products 100. Further, different number of knife sections 124 may be provided (e.g., more than six knife sections, such as seven knife sections, less than two knife ns, such as one knife section, and so .

In embodiments of the disclosure, the knife sections 124 shown in FIGS. 4 through 15 are radially balanced. For example, multiple knife sections 124 are arranged at regular intervals from one another (e.g., generally spaced an equal number of degrees apart). It should also be noted that vegetable knives 110 may have different pitches. For example, the knives shown in FIGS. 4 through 11 may be conically shaped, having a steeper pitch than the knives shown in FIGS. 12 through 15. The pitch of the knives shown in FIGS. 12 through 15 may range from about five (5) degrees to about 15 degrees, while the knives shown in FIGS. 4 through 11 may have a pitch may have a pitch ranging from about 20 degrees to about 40 degrees. However, these ranges are provided by way of example and are not meant to limit the present disclosure. In other embodiments a ble knife 1 10 may have knife sections 124 having different pitches. It should also be noted that stepped blades are provided by way of example. In other embodiments, one or more knife sections 124 can have different blade arrangements, including, but not arily limited to: straight-edged blades, scalloped-edged blades, haped blades, star-shaped blades, and so forth.

Although the subject matter has been described in language ic to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as example forms of implementing the In this specification where reference has been made to patent specifications, other external documents, or other sources of information, this is generally for the purpose of providing a context for discussing the features of the ion. Unless specifically stated otherwise, nce to such external documents is not to be construed as an admission that such documents, or such sources of information, in any jurisdiction, are prior art, or form part of the common general knowledge in the art.

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words ‘comprise’, ‘comprising’ and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say in the sense of ding but not limited

Claims (21)

1. A vegetable knife comprising: an outer flange for coupling the vegetable knife to a rotatable cutting assembly; a pulverizing coring pin for izing a core of a vegetable; and at least one vegetable shaping blade extending ly outwardly from the pulverizing coring pin for shaping the vegetable, the at least one vegetable shaping blade connected between the outer flange and the pulverizing coring pin for supporting the pulverizing coring pin at a on generally central with t to the outer flange and generally coaxial with a rotational axis of the rotatable cutting ly.

2. The vegetable knife as recited in claim 1, wherein the outer flange includes at least one aperture for ng the vegetable knife to the rotatable cutting assembly.

3. The vegetable knife as recited in claim 1, wherein the pulverizing coring pin comprises a generally cylindrical tube extending from a first side of the vegetable knife to a second side of the vegetable knife opposite the first side.

4. The vegetable knife as recited in claim 3, wherein the pulverizing coring pin includes a blade edge extending around a circumference of the generally cylindrical tube of the pulverizing coring pin.

5. The vegetable knife as recited in claim 1, n the izing coring pin defines a cutting volume at a first end of the pulverizing coring pin and at least one pulverizing tube.

6. The vegetable knife as recited in claim 5, wherein the at least one pulverizing tube extends from the first end of the pulverizing coring pin proximate to the cutting volume to a second end of the pulverizing coring pin opposite the first end.

7. The vegetable knife as recited in claim 5, n the vegetable knife comprises a plurality of pulverizing tubes extending from the first end of the pulverizing coring pin proximate to the cutting volume to a second end of the pulverizing coring pin opposite the first end.

8. The vegetable knife as recited in claim 1, wherein the pulverizing coring pin s at least one izing tube extending from a first end of the pulverizing coring pin to a second end of the pulverizing coring pin opposite the first end.

9. The vegetable knife as recited in claim 8, wherein the at least one pulverizing tube comprises a plurality of different diameters.

10. The ble knife as recited in claim 1, wherein the pulverizing coring pin defines a plurality of pulverizing tubes extending from a first end of the pulverizing coring pin to a second end of the izing coring pin opposite the first end.

11. The vegetable knife as recited in claim 10, wherein at least one pulverizing tube of the plurality of pulverizing tubes comprises a plurality of different ers.

12. The vegetable knife as recited in claim 1, wherein the vegetable knife comprises a generally conical shape, and the at least one vegetable shaping blade comprises a stepped blade that extends radially outwardly and downwardly from the pulverizing coring pin to the outer flange.

13. The vegetable knife as recited in claim 1, wherein the vegetable knife comprises a ity of vegetable shaping blades that extend radially outwardly from the pulverizing coring pin to the outer flange.

14. The vegetable knife as recited in claim 13, wherein the plurality of vegetable g blades are radially balanced.

15. The vegetable knife as recited in claim 14, wherein the plurality of vegetable shaping blades comprise stepped blades that each extend ly outwardly and rdly from the izing coring pin to the outer flange.

16. A vegetable knife comprising: a pulverizing coring pin for pulverizing a core of a vegetable, the pulverizing coring pin being a generally cylindrical tube extending from a first side of the ble knife to a second side of the vegetable knife te the first side; a plurality of pulverizing tubes defined by the pulverizing coring pin, the plurality of pulverizing tubes extending from a first end of the pulverizing coring pin to a second end of the pulverizing coring pin te the first end; and at least one vegetable shaping blade extending radially dly from the pulverizing coring pin for shaping the vegetable, the at least one vegetable shaping blade for supporting the pulverizing coring pin at a location generally central with respect to the vegetable knife.

17. The vegetable knife as recited in claim 16, wherein the vegetable knife comprises a lly conical shape, and the at least one ble shaping blade comprises a stepped blade that extends radially outwardly and downwardly from the pulverizing coring pin to an outer flange.

18. The ble knife as recited in claim 16, wherein the vegetable knife comprises a plurality of ble shaping blades that extend radially outwardly from the pulverizing coring pin to an outer flange.

19. A vegetable knife comprising: a pulverizing coring pin for pulverizing a core of a vegetable; a plurality of pulverizing tubes defined by the pulverizing coring pin, the plurality of pulverizing tubes extending from a first end of the pulverizing coring pin to a second end of the pulverizing coring pin opposite the first end; and at least one vegetable shaping blade extending radially outwardly from the pulverizing coring pin for shaping the vegetable, the at least one vegetable shaping blade for supporting the pulverizing coring pin at a location generally central with respect to the vegetable knife.

20. The vegetable knife as recited in claim 19, wherein the pulverizing coring pin defines a cutting volume at the first end of the pulverizing coring pin.

21. The vegetable knife as recited in any one of claims 1, 16 or 19, substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the embodiments illustrated in the anying drawings. 00000000000000000000000